The Hired Heart

THE HIRED HEART is a sweet, inconsequential but enjoyable romantic comedy of a pretty Wyoming widow (Penelope Ann Miller), the town M.D., still carrying a torch for her lost bull-riding husband after two years. Her father-in-law (the wonderful Barry Corbin) determines to get her 'back in circulation' for the town's upcoming Centennial Celebration, and he starts sending a stream of 'available' bachelors (a truly SORRY lot!) to 'court' her. Not willing to 'heal' from her loss, she concocts a scheme; she'll hire a male escort to 'pretend' to be her boyfriend, and convince everybody she's 'taken'...until the Celebration is over.

Visiting a friend (Barbara Gates) in Denver who runs an escort service, Miller outlines the plan, then leaves it in her hands to send someone who's attractive, but "with a few wrinkles". Gates comes up with a brilliant idea; she'd send her brother (Brent Cullen), an aspiring composer who, despite being in a long-distance relationship, had yet to find true love, to play the role. Despite misgivings ("I hope she's not expecting sex..."), he agrees, and drives to Wyoming, to join his new 'girlfriend'.

While the film is predictable (Miller, kissing and platonically sleeping with Cullen, soon feels her long-suppressed passions re-emerge; Cullen, moved by her good heart, falls for her, and tries to get her to 'move on' with her life), in the hands of a first-rate cast, the story never grows tedious. The 'male bonding' scenes between the suspicious Corbin and the wry Cullen are comic highpoints, and while the climax, with Cullen riding the bull that had killed Miller's husband (to prove to her HE wouldn't die), seems contrived, the two leads have such terrific chemistry together that you KNOW things will end happily!

THE HIRED HEART is a likable 'feel good' movie that may not linger in your memory long after it ends, but will certainly bring a smile as you watch it!

Relationships as depicted in cinema are so "perfect". Well, reality is different, very different. The plot of this movie forces us to stretch our imagination. But stretch it we do, as we watch the characters "bang up" against each other. The unlikely relationship strokes our curiosity and keeps us tuned in. This is not a classic. But it is a very enjoyable low budget Romance-Comedy that is very typical of LMN. I have seen it three times and still enjoy it. That it telling.

You should have seen this script before the director messed it up. It was originally under option at 20th Century Fox for a feature film. The director had no sense of humor and was completely oblivious to small town western life and it still turned out pretty good. Grahm Green's part as "Keith" was hysterical and much larger in the script. Most of his part got edited out by the director and that was after he agreed to do the part for much less money than he usually gets. If David Lestor, the original producer scheduled would have filmed the work, it would have been 1997's "Sleepless in Seattle". As it was, it did the best numbers Lifetime had seen for an original movie to that point. It could have been so much more with another director!

I think Brett Cullen has so much going for him. He should be in more leading man roles. He was also great in Something Borrowed Something Blue. He has played in many great films, but I wish he had bigger parts. He could carry the lead with no problem. Romantic comedies are my favorite and he is so good at them.

You can find lots of play-by-play reviews of this made-for-tv movie. You don't need another. Basically, this is a sweet Hallmark Channel style movie. Albeit, an after-hours/late-night, adult Hallmark movie. Still, it is a nice, sweet, hero-tale which shouldn't make the teeth ache. And has a few good smile causing scenes.