JL Ranch

Just felt too short for any story to actual be told. So many characters and 30-60 minutes more could have brought their stories to life rather than just introduce them and move along. What was there was brilliant and this was heading to be an 8-9 until I realised I was 1:15 through and the build to the end was coming

A couple of veterans Jon Voight and James Caan are the patriarchs of a pair of Texas Montagues and Capulets and have had a family feud going on back 3 generations. It has to do with the involvement of Caan's son and Voight's daughter and what happened with them started the feud.

Caan's grown rich in material things and Voight has a nice family and a big ranch and makes out OK. But Caan for reasons both venal and egotistical is trying very hard by hook or crook to steal some more of Voigt's land. That piece has a well and waters his and other neighbors around him.

The two vets outstrip the others in the cast. Just calling them vets makes me feel old as I remember them both as breakout stars. The ending is right out of Frank Capra.

Nice film for family wntertainment.

JL Family Ranch was so blessed to have the caliber of Voight and Caan in the leads that the whole project became grander. Story was solid and the cinematography was rich, Wow. For a film that was budget challenged, the whole cast did such a great job they left me wanting more. Lots of plots but each one explained through the slow rollout of the story lines of the Lansburg family members. Loved the storyline of Rebecca and Lisa. Introduction of Terrance and Brady was full of promise for interesting things to come. And especially enjoyed Sheriff Whitlock watch the animosity of Lansburg and Petersen to see if that keg of powder was going to blow. Then, the romantic tension between the Sheriff and Rebecca was delicious to watch, to see if he could rope her. Sheriff Whitlock was trying but Rebecca's old wounds, current family dramas and Tap Petersen's legal shenanigans gave Rebecca a reason to avoid answering the draw she could not ignore for the Sheriff. Director and Crew gave this modern western a great look at what Americana is and took chances that gave this movie room to fill the screen. Director used all his skills to fill this JL Family Ranch story with all they could chuck in there.

I love the age range of these characters and the fact Hallmark has offered something other than a rom(com) or murder mystery, but this movie is too negative. Whilst so many tensions in one family/community is realistic, it's exhausting to watch with not enough light relief to give the movie balance early on. I gave up, for now at least.

The Original Movie was made in 2016. Many of these comments were made after the sequel was filmed. I truly enjoyed working with this crew again.