roger_towne

If you're a teen, into lots of face-people, a fan of country music and/or regular to Lifetime Television, you'll probably like this. If so, nothing wrong with that.

But if you're more of a sophisticated viewer who appreciates character-driven storylines, good acting and thoughtful plot development, turn and run.

I'm the latter and the most redeeming quality of this series was the beautiful American southwest. Otherwise it's "country western meets Lifetime".

When you already can see what happens 15 minutes into the series, what does that say? The parade of faces on both sides tells you the rest.

But that's my view.

Another pathetic example of wannabes making movies. No surprise either. Director Daniel Saltarin hasn't done a feature film before. He and co-writers, Charles Baird, Henry Hodge and actor Andy Granger collectively have nothing worthy to their names. So it's no surprise this is trash.

Overall the storytelling and acting are just weak. The inept acting of villain Leon (Andy Granger) is noticeably as is most others. The actor earning something of a pass is James Anthony Marshall who plays the Sheriff. Casting is equally bad. Jack (Mike Ackerman) looks 25 years older than his mate Ashley (Veronica Cinibulk). Worse, as the main characters neither are very likable.

In all, if amateur movies, weak storylines, poorly developed characters and bad acting is your thing, then you'll definitely like this movie. Otherwise, turn and run.

This movie touches on a few current and real societal problems, but it doesn't take long to see the gimmicky, shallow storyline will doom it to the ever-full garbage can. Interestingly enough, while the underlying point is about redemption, ironically the movie itself has few redeeming qualities.

I'm at a complete loss how it took THREE writers (Michael Arlen Ross, Mariano Cohn & Gastón Duprat) to create this story. The fact it's nothing more than another cheap Hollywood stunt is utterly dumbfounding. Dear writers: How about showing us something new? For instance, have Eddie (Skarsgard) pull William (Hopkins) from the burning wreck both as confirmation of his "redeemed" character and also as a symbolic paradox of the lowly petty criminal drifting in pointlessness saving the man in power. Perhaps they even bond in the aftermath, showing how people can ultimately offer compassion and forgiveness.

Lastly, the trend of former A-list actors like Anthony Hopkins signing on to garbage movies like this is truly puzzling. Do they really need the money? So bad they're willing to make a mockery of their esteemed reputations? John Malkovich is another. I understand Jason Statham, John Travolta, Dermot Mulroney, Nicholas Cage etc but how Hopkins, Malkovich and other once-great actors are willing to permanently stain their legacies is utterly headscratching to me.