Starring: Gregory Alan Williams, Francine Locke, Torry Martin, Jeff Rose, Shannen Fields, Andrew Masset, Doris Collier, Tracy Goode, Brittany Mann, Riley Bundick, Cledus T. Judd, Collin Alexander Brown, Donna Botts
Plot Synopsis:
Joel and Megan Graham have been happily married for almost 20 years. High school sweethearts since freshman year, they knew they were meant to be together. Just two years into their marriage, they were blessed with their first baby daughter, Genie. It was always Joel’s dream to have a son, so they kept trying. After two more daughters, they decided that having a son just wasn’t meant to be. So they settled into their lives as parents to three beautiful daughters. Over the last year, however, Joel and Megan have been getting tested at every turn. Genie has become an out of control, rebellious teen. Ten year old Katie has been having trouble in school, having issues with anger management and she can’t seem to control her temper. Three year old Sidney always seems to be sick. We are told that God will never give us more then we can handle. The Grahams are about to find out that He will always test the limits of what we can handle. The greatest thing a person can be in life is a parent. Something tells me that person never had three daughters.
After Faith left her rural North Carolina home to pursue her musical dreams in New York City, she never expected to meet the man of her dreams—or so she thought. After a whirlwind romance and marriage to Luke Carraday, they are horrified to discover that the investment firm he worked for came under audit by the federal government, landing all employees in jail, including Luke. Dazed and confused and with no one to turn to, Faith returns home and finds her ailing father the same as he always was. Though Faith’s sister is not excited about her coming back, Faith’s whole family supports her no matter what happens. However, none of them foresee the events that about to unfold—events that have the potential to change the direction of their lives forever.
Production Quality (2.5 points)
With a modest budget, Heart of the Country did pretty much all they could do with the money they had. The video quality is excellent and the camera work is professional. Sound quality is consistent throughout, and the soundtrack is fairly good, even though it’s dominated by Jana Kramer, the lead actress. The sets and locations are relatively diverse—jumping back and forth from New York City to rural North Carolina works very well. There is an overall authentic feel to the surroundings. The only caveats to raise with this film are some minor editing issues. Though flashbacks are utilized wonderfully, there are some choppy elements of the production that derail its pursuit of perfection. But these minor issues aside, this is a formidable production model to be proud of.
Plot and Storyline Quality (2 points)
From the beginning, the plot of Heart of the Country is unique and outside of the norm. Few movies ever attempt to depict a newlywed couple’s struggles—most movies retreat after the wedding vows are said and we never hear from them again. The premise of this film is a brave idea that deserve resounding applause. As previously mentioned, flashbacks enhance this film and make it what it is. The characters are fairly believable, though they could use a little more development in this character-based plot. For the most part, this plot avoids the usual return-to-your-hometown clichés. Unfortunately, the Christian message is quite muted and needed to be a little more meaningful. Another problem is a number of wasted scenes that could have been used to develop characters and deepen the storyline. Some elements are understated while others are overstated. The end is meaningful even though it is slightly expected. Overall, this is an above average plot that had the potential to be even better.
Acting Quality (2 points)
This is a formidable cast made up of B-grade cast members. They seem to be coached fairly well. Line delivery is above average, as are emotions. One big drawback here is that most of the cast members make excessive use of makeup and costuming. In the end, this is a respectable acting job.
Conclusion
We’ve said it before, but we really wish that films like Heart of the Country were the baseline of inspirational film. It includes a unique idea, professional production, believable characters, and commendable acting. We also wish films like this one would go all the way and achieve Hall of Fame status. But nonetheless, films like this one are still enjoyable and definitely worth your while. It’s unfortunately still a rare find in the industry.
Box Office Revolution 