User reviews

Beautiful guitar and singing, but movie was too depressing/boring and stopped watching half way through.

I don't think this film is a great one but somehow it's a good one; good enough to allow you to sit through to the end. Ben Barnes played the Ryan role and performed it with depth. Katherine Heigl played Jackie, also did a good job. But both of them were blocked to be great just because the screenplay (the storyline, the scenario, the plot) was too weak to be evolved into a greater movie and allowed them to become more memorable. Heigl also looked a bit older than Ryan in this film, but since she already got a daughter and under lot of stress to dissolve her marriage, looking older was acceptable. All the songs in this film were not bad but same as the script, all fell short for deeper, more moving and more touching songs. Those lyrics and melodies were also a bit vague and monotonous, short of passion. Ben indeed played guitar well, but his voice was not great, too thin and too narrow without depth and resonance either.

This is a watchable but not great film. I gave it 7 just because I like Ben Barnes a lot. If he could find better scripts and better roles, he could be great. By the way, the girl who played Jackie's daughter was a cute little button, very lovely.

From the director of 'Texas Killing Field' comes a simple music- drama with a little romance in it. A plot that was built around when two people meet at a crossroad. One is looking forward breakthrough in the music career and the other one has been there. Besides a single mother fighting for a child custody as a subplot and other few extra characters were added for the movie to brighten up. That did not help to make the plot tighter and faster, instead left behind many unanswered. Anyway, most part of the narration stayed dry.

Looking at the performances, location and the direction, it was not a bad movie. The story that progressed at a lazy pace is what I felt is the tumble. It should have been better, but still watchable film and not for everyone. It is another movie about the life's hardship. All about the personal life as well as the social life and finding a way to blend them together. Great cast, fine music and a decent ending. Overall, failed to impress, but worth a watch for being different and a slightly gripping due to the realistic approach.

6½/10

I watched this film with high expectations after looking at the reviews on here and it having a good rating on Netflix, I can honestly say I was extremely disappointed. The film did not have a clear story line and the little story line that it did have was not fully explained. All in all this film was definitely a waste of time and I would not recommend it to anyone.

As musicals go, this one is no La La Land. The plot is rather thin. Almost evanescent, there are no plot twists, and the outcome is about as predictable as it gets, but the leads are rather pleasant and do their best with what they are given. The photography was a bit uninspired, with beautiful vistas all but ignored, although full marks for the industrial doom. There's a bogeyman, all viciousness telegraphed. There's a sweet child, a little too sweet given her backstory. Friends are all wonderfully friendly, without side, anger or resentment.

So why the 7 stars? It was rather sweet. The music was excellent, enjoyable and entrancing, even if you aren't a fan of Country. Foot tapping times make up for the rather slow parts of the storytelling. We all know the ending well before quarter way through, but the ambiance is enticing. This, you can't help thinking, is the way all relationships start.

Pleasant acting, pleasant location, wonderful music: what more could you need for a lazy afternoon?

It won't change your life, but it might make you feel more positive when facing your minor problems.

Review: Man, this film was really boring. I was hoping for something major to happen in the storyline but it stays on a slow pace and depressing theme, all the way through the film. Its about a drifter whose hoping for a big break in the music business whilst busking in various places. He then comes across a woman whose been knocked down on the road by mistake, so he runs to her rescue, not realising that his possessions are being stolen at the same time. The lady, Jackie Laurel (Katherine Heigl), decides to offer the man, Ryan Brenner (Ben Barnes) a roof over his head and some hot food, which he gladly accepts after living rough in trains for some time. He then takes on some odd jobs around the house, like fixing there leaking roof, but her mum isn't happy with the arrangement so she makes his stay quite uncomfortable. Jackie is also a country singer who had a few hits in her time but now she is a single mother whose going through an emotional divorce were she has to fight to keep custody of her young daughter. Together, they help each other through troubled times and manage to find joy in life whilst trying to sort out there problems. I got bored after the first few minutes but the talented guitarist/country singer, Ryan, did play some good tunes. The storyline didn't seem to go anywhere and there love for each other was a dead end right from the beginning. I was left feeling empty when the film ended because nothing major happened all the way through the film. I thought that the poor drifter was going to make it big in the music world and come back to save Jackie but it ended quite abruptly which made the film a bit pointless. The love story is sweet and it's nice that these two people from completely two different world's, joined together and fell in love but I really struggled to stay awake through the film. Disappointing!

Round-Up: Katherine Heigl, 36, is known for her comedy roles in films like Knocked Up, 27 Dresses, the Ugly Truth, Killers, Life As We Know It and the Big Wedding and she has taken on some dramatic roles in Descendant, Evil Never Dies, Valentine and Bride of Chucky. Her career blossomed after starring in the hit series Grey's Anatomy in 2005 and she hasn't stopped working ever since then. She also starred in 13 episodes of State Of Affairs during 2014-2015 so her acting career for the big screen had to be put on hold. I doubt that this film will damage her success as a Rom-Com specialist but if she's hoping to switch into the dramatic genre, she will have to pick her projects a bit better. Ben Barnes, 34, played the lead in Dorian Gary and also starred in the Chronicles of Narnia franchise, Stardust, the Big Wedding and Seventh Son but he's yet to become a household name. I personally find his acting quite weak but I was impressed with his singing and guitar playing skills in this movie. This is the second major movie release for director Ami Canaan Mann who also directed the intense thriller, Texas Killing Fields. I don't exactly know what she was trying to achieve with this movie because it does have a glum feeling through most of it but love does manage to eventually find a way which is what made the film slightly watchable. I still can't imagine myself watching it again anytime soon but I'm sure that there are many people out there that would enjoy this emotional drama.

I recommend this movie to people who are into their emotional dramas about a train hopping busker whose fighting to make it in the music world and a former country star whose fighting to keep her daughter. 3/10

Greetings again from the darkness. Complexity of characters, action sequences and plot twists are so common in movies these days that a simple story told in a straight-forward manner can catch us a bit off-guard. Such is the case with this latest from writer/director Ami Canaan Mann (Michael Mann's daughter, and known for Texas Killing Fields).

A romantic drama usually leans heavily on the strength of its leads, and the teaming of Katherine Heigl and Ben Barnes normally wouldn't instill much hope. Don't expect this one to linger in your thoughts much after you have left the theatre, but most will find it pleasant enough to watch … if for no other reason than the interesting songs written by Nick Hans and sung by Barnes. And yes, Heigl sings a bit too … but not much considering her character supposedly had a successful singing career in years gone by.

There is an air of familiarity to the story as Barnes plays a free-willed musician who travels by train and performs in the streets of the towns he visits. Circumstances occur that bring Barnes and Heigl together, and soon enough romance is in the air. Heigl and her daughter (Emily Alyn Lind) live with her mom (Sheryl Lee), and Barnes hangs around for awhile to fix the roof … and other things. Indie favorite Clea DuVall has a small role that adds a bit of interest, but mostly this one hinges on Barnes and Heigl.

If you are one of the many who have grown tired of Heigl's big screen career, you might be a bit surprised here as she struggles to raise her daughter while going through a nasty divorce. Barnes has also done little (since his posturing in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) to lead up to his more gritty and somewhat likable role. Again, not much here will stick, but it's pleasant enough to watch.

This film tells the story of a struggling homeless musician, and a single mother who used to be a musician. After a chance encounter on the street, they become friends and more, supporting each other through their respective tough times.

I find "Jackie & Ryan" very boring. As a drama, it doesn't work because almost nothing happens in the film. We are shown scenes of beautiful mountain scenery, scenes of moving trains, people playing music or people walking around. Much thought has been put into making scenes nice, such as Ben Barnes writing a letter against the sun then walk away. These scenes may be aesthetically nice, but it's just plain boring. The film drags on too long but there's little plot to fill up the screen time. The romance is unconvincing, and the story is not romantic either so it doesn't work as a romantic comedy. "Jackie & Ryan" is a beautiful bore, I would still rather not have watched it.

This movie doesn't have the kind of subject matter that requires such a slow pace. Scenes are too long. If each one was cut shorter, it may have been a little better.

Heigl is a really good actress; usually raises a not movie up a level or two. Her accent comes and goes, which I guess can happen. You move away and lose it, but it returns you come back. But sounds like she has been living there for a while.

Her singing is not good enough. Did she really sing?

And I'm sorry but we can't be expected to believe that a nine-year- old gave birth. Sheryl Lee is much too young to be Heigl's mother.

The way the movie ends is nicely done. You don't see that happen very much...

Drifter musician Ryan (Ben Barnes) lands in a town to visit an old friend and comes across Jackie (Katherine Heigl) who is also a former musician seeking a divorce and needing to maintain custody of daughter Lia (Emily Alyn Lind). Ryan is ultimately on his way, via the rails, to a recording studio to cut a record with his friend.

Some of the script pages must gotten lost somewhere along the way. All the above sounds good, and we were anticipating a good love story between Ryan and Jackie, but all we got was an outline of a love story with many unresolved issues. We liked the foreplay between these two and the dialogues were excellent and yes, they do get together, but then we really don't know how this all panned out. (you have to make up your own ending). Did Jackie get that divorce? Does she maintain custody of Lia? Does Ryan become an over night musical success? We were looking for a feel-good movie and all we got was an outline of things that may have turned out the way we wanted. Where were those missing script pages? Someone needed to be fired.

Katherine Heigl is still beautiful and is a very good actress and we saw glimpses of all that from the script pages that were not lost. She has that rare ability to make me laugh and cry at almost the same time as does Morgan Fairchild. (you won't let that go, will you?)

Don't really know what Ben Barnes looks like with that beard that all male actors seem to revel in, and he is new to me but his delivery saves him. And he is also a pretty good singer of Bluegrass music - I think that's what that was.

Speaking of music, it was very good throughout and since the story was not as complete as we would have liked, watch this for the music. Ryan's song near the end is excellent. After he recorded it, he was asked by those in the control room if he had any more like that. He says yes, but we don't get to hear any. Boo Hoo!

All in all not a bad incomplete story that just gave us an outline of things that might have been. We were looking for a well developed love story. Didn't happen. You can make up your own ending. (5/10)

Violence: No. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: One F-bomb by Jackie.

This movie follows two people who live opposite lives, but their love of music brings them together. In the end, you don't know how he ends up. Does he get his record deal? Does she get custody? What happens? I don't like movies that leave things opened ended for you to guess. I like answers. Also, there's not very much acting. There is a lot of music playing, a lot of staring, a lot of long pauses where you are starting at the characters doing nothing for a period of time. With Katherine being a main character, I expected more. This is certainly not one of her top films at all. A lot of "folk" music. All in all, I wouldn't watch it twice.

I've read the other reviews and agree to a point but this is a great movie based on human experiences that we can all relate to. Aren't you all tired of movies about rich people going through different dramas? I know I am. This is a "Down to Earth" reality check for a lot of us struggling to survive in this debt ridden society. Humans will survive this storm of servitude. We will finally come to realize that life is so precious and the people we care about are the only reason why we have a reason to wake up in the morning. This is an example for other movie studios to follow. Relate to your audience or just be another wanna be hit.

Just my thoughts.

A romantic movie about a musician who makes a living on the road and a single mother who also has a passion for music. If you like country music, you can get involved in the romance. Ben Barnes plays authentically in a light-footed way and I didn't even know Katherine Heigl could sing. Although both have rather thin voices, the songs are not bad, but the wow effect is missing. The script also lacks emotional depth and touching moments. Everything is quite predictable with no big twists. A light, pleasant musical romance morsel that won't be remembered.

------------ Conclusion: so so, cheesy predictable little romance for once watch ok.

I'm glad this isn't the much overdone, "girl meets boy, boy saves girl", unoriginal scrip, and typical movie.

There were a lot of thoughtful lines and I like a movie that doesn't "overwhelm" with lots of drama. Nice way to spend a lazy, rainy afternoon!

How sad this sweet little film by Ami Canaan Mann was ignored by the public. It's on Netflix & I finally got to see it & really liked it. Ben & Katie were excellent together & I was pleasantly surprised by Ben's singing. The only thing I didn't like was I felt it was too short & a little more about their back stories could have been in it, plus the ending was too abrupt for my taste. But that's in editing & not the fault of the actors. If you like music & drama, you will really appreciate this film.

It is a simple Love drama about a musician who meets a girl whom he falls in love in. Honestly if you're looking for a romantic movie it is adequate. But the reason why I gave it a high score is mainly not because of the love story which is very predictable, but because it is a great movie to inspire musicians. Being one myself I recommend this to guitarist whom are trying to rediscover their passion for guitar.

Their is not much chemistry between Jackie (Katherine Heigl) and Ryan (Ben Barnes) it looks forced in real life luckily its a movie so it makes it plausible, thanks to the good acting of bot Katherine Heigl and Ben Barnes.

I recommend watching it mainly for the music not as much for the romance since its a lesser romance movie

No, there weren't any exploding helicopters and no heads of state needed saving, but human beings changed, and helped each other, gave each other the push to find the inner courage to do what made them happy in life. What more do you want? Beautiful scenery, tenderness, love, and incredible music? It's all there. I love this movie. It's gentle and powerful and it touched my heart.