Jackie & Ryan is a warm-hearted romance that includes music. You can’t stay by the fire on a cold winter’s TV hiatus any better way than to watch a sweet love story with great songs in it, can you?
Jackie & Ryan features Katherine Heigl as Jackie. Jackie is a pop singer who returned from her high powered life to her home in Ogden, Utah. She’s divorcing her asshole, er, her husband, and taking care of her daughter Lia (Emily Alyn Lind). It turns out that Katherine Heigl can sing. Who knew?
Into this divorce drama comes Ryan (Ben Barnes) who is busking his way to Portland, Oregon, where the friend of a friend might record his music. Ben Barnes has a fantastic voice. I recommend the Jackie & Ryan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) if you enjoy blues, folk, and traditional music.
Jackie’s mom (Sheryl Lee) is none to friendly toward Ryan when he shows up on her doorstep with Jackie. He’s in Ogden with his fiddle playing pal (Nathan Stevens) looking for a musician friend named Cowboy. Cowboy’s girl (Clea DuVall) says he’s been gone for a month. Ryan was hoping Cowboy would go with him to Portland as part of the group hoping to be recorded, but that turns out to be impossible.
Cowboy was Ryan’s musical mentor, but Jackie is very good at seeing the talent in Ryan and encouraging him to pursue it.
Like any romance you’ve ever seen, this one has some bumps in the road on the way to happiness, but it eventually gets there. If you enjoy a romance, this is a good one.
Jackie & Ryan was written and directed by Ami Canaan Mann. The 2014 film is now streaming on Netflix and Amazon Video.