Nouveau départ

Hope Ranch has the look and feel of an unsold TV pilot and if that is the case it's a pity some network didn't pick it up. It seems like a fine modern western, an up to date Boystown with a cowboy setting.

Bruce Boxleitner, former marine and former Dallas cop, wants to start a program for troubled male youth on the edge of deciding whether it is a criminal lifestyle they will pursue or not. He asks for and gets three hard cases from juvenile detention, Richard Lee Jackson, J.D. Pardo, and Brian Gross to come and live with him and his two hands Barry Corbin, and Lorenzo Lamas. The court also imposes a female social worker in Laura Johnson and her child Isabelle Howell. Johnson both cooks and evaluates.

Gross is the toughest case, he's got a bad brother role model in Brad Hawkins who has some nasty drug dealers after him for monies owed. Of course in the end it all works out.

Hope Ranch has some nice performances in the ensemble cast with Lamas, Gross, and Hawkins sticking out. Good family film.

When this TV movie came out back in 2002 on Animal Planet, I watched "Hope Ranch" when it aired on Animal Planet for the first time and I really loved this movie. A well done TV movie, the first TV film by Animal Planet and I loved it, still do.

A great TV movie about how teens can get a second chance at a ranch called "Circle Hope Ranch" owned by former marine and cop named J.T. Hope. A movie with a great message about life lessons and that how people can learn somethings about themselves and learn for their mistakes and learn to earn their keep. The 3 teens who get sent to Circle Hope Ranch do later on better themselves with the help of J.T. Hope, and with Hope's ranch hands Shorty, and Colt.

Bruce Boxleitner is awesome as J.T. Hope. I always been a fan of Bruce Boxleitner, he was always awesome in the 1980s hit TV series "Scarecrow & Mrs. King" and in the 1990s hit science fiction TV series "Babylon 5" as Captain/President John Sheridan and his role in the hit 1982 Walt Disney film "Tron" as Alan Bradley/Tron and the 2010 sequel "Tron: Legacy".

A great cast in this TV movie, Lorenzo Lamas is awesome as Colt Webb, a former juvenile delinquent who bettered himself with the help of J.T. Hope.

Barry Corbin is awesome as Shorty, a good friend of J.T. Hope.

Bruce Boxleitner, the heroic captain of Babylon 5, leaves behind the realm of science fiction to play a more down-to-earth roll... running a cattle ranch with troubled institutionalized teens. Horses, cows, fields of fertilizer -- the works! Bruce Boxleitner does a believable job being the head huncho of HOPE RANCH. Credit to him.

Want more? HOPE RANCH boasts a whole lot of beef of a different nature... beefcake. A goodly amount of beefy eye candy for all you female viewers to enjoy. There is plenty for all.

Last but most noteworthy, HOPE RANCH contains a surprisingly good background score. At times there are echoes of Maximus's Germania-Spanish ride from the majestic GLADIATOR score. Yes, it is that good. Much credit must go to Bruce Lynch for the interesting background score he gave to HOPE RANCH.

When my parents rented this movie, and I saw Lorenzo Lamas on the cover, needless to say, I was more than skeptical of the quality of this film. It still holds the trademarks of a made-for-TV movie with its cheesy dialogue and cheesy acting (particularly Ernesto), but "Hope Ranch" is a nice film with a positive message.

This movie is even more meaningful for my family and I, as my mom works in a juvenile corrections facility. While that job sounded pretty daunting at first, its purpose is commendable; that is to rehabilitate troubled youth and turn their lives around. "Hope Ranch" illustrates one way programs can do that by laying out discipline and responsibility on the kids for practically the first time in their lives. They show that through hard work and dedication, kids learn that they really are important and can contribute something meaningful to society.

To my surprise, I actually recommend this movie. It has a great message and shows that we shouldn't give up on people. Don't expect Oscar-worthy performances, a groundbreaking story, or anything like that. It is, after all, a movie made for the cable channel Animal Planet. Despite its budgetary constraints, "Hope Ranch" still gives a positive message out in a very effective way.

My IMDb Rating: 8/10. My Yahoo! Grade: B+ (Memorable)