Country songs are typically about one of four things. A country song is either about being dumped by a girl or boyfriend, a broken down pickup truck, beer or crying in a beer because the girlfriend left with the broken down pickup truck and the faithful dog. Surely, a film produced partly the CMT (Country Music Television) Films and starring Toby Keith and Kelly Preston has to involve at least one or more of the topics in question. Dumped by a girl or boyfriend? Check. A broken down pickup truck? Check. A mug or bottle of beer? Check. There is no dog, but the boyfriend does leave at one point in a pickup truck. You see, I grew up on Country Music and while I may sound a bit condescending towards the genre, I love the old country music that included Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams, Jr., and the Statler Brothers. I´ve since moved on to Pearl Jam, Nickelback, Five for Fighting and the Barenaked Ladies. I´ll be the first to admit that I don´t have much familiarity with either Toby Keith or Kelly Preston.
"Broken Bridges" finds a local town thrown into a state of depression when five young men are killed in an Army training exercise. The younger brother of country music has-been Bo Brice (Toby Keith) was among the dead, as was the younger brother of Angela Dalton (Kelly Preston). This brings both Dalton and Brice back to their hometown of Armor Springs. The problem is that Bo Brice is the father of Angela´s daughter Dixie Leigh (Lindsey Haun) and disappeared on the night when the pregnant Angela and Bo were to run away together. They haven´t spoken a word since then. So the girlfriend or boyfriend in question that was left is Angela and she was left by Bo. Angela has not been home since the night she left alone and has kept her daughter from meeting not just her father, but her grandparents Jake (Burt Reynolds) and Dixie Rose (Tess Harper). Bo, Angela and Dixie are all kept under the same roof of Jake and Dixie Rose during the town´s healing and they must deal with how they relate to each other in the wake of their sibling´s untimely deaths.
The film is not as much about the healing of Angela, Bo, Jake and Dixie Rose as it is the healing of their own relationships. Dixie Leigh is a rebellious teen who is a spitting image of Avril Levigne. She has never known her small town grandparents or former country star father. Angela does not know her own father and always looked at him as being abusive and domineering towards her mother. She has never questioned why Bo never showed up to leave with her and has placed herself into a frigid emotional state when the topic of her teenage love surfaces. Bo had reached the top spot on country charts, but has battled alcoholism and the demons of leaving Angela behind. He has suffered from losing her and constantly questions having not met her on the night they had planned to leave. Jake has hard feelings towards Bo for leaving Angela and some of the townsfolk call him "No Show" in ridicule for leaving the pregnant Angela.
"Broken Bridges" is one of those films that feel as if it forcefully and artificially tugs at one´s emotional strings. Situations are created to place the characters in sad situations, or to created emotional hardships. Early scenes find Dixie Leigh rejecting her father, but the healing power of the guitar makes that all better. Bo Brice was the Number One Son of Armor Springs, but he has tarnished his image with his drunken behavior and those that still remember him leaving Angela a single mother. The big finale where Bo brings Country Music veterans Willie Nelson and BeBe Winans in for an emotional concert is so cliché ridden and fabricated, that is feels too convenient to be believable, but does enough things right that some viewers are sure to get a little weepy-eyed. The entire film is composed of moments meant to pull the emotional strings of the viewer and show how much suffering all of the characters must deal with before accepting their happy family renaissance at the film´s closure. The stroke that befalls upon poor Dixie Rose is the defining moment of the forceful attack on emotions the filmmakers used to manipulate sadness and eventual teary happiness while watching "Broken Bridges."
The cast does a commendable job. Kelly Preston looked the part of a small-town country girl that is a jaded single mother, but has learned to stand strong on her own two feet. Toby Keith is more than believable as a washed up country singer. I´m not sure when his last hit was, but he seems to know what it feels like to no longer be on top. The young Lindsey Haun has been acting since she was seven years old and her familiarity with the camera and acting shows. Burt Reynolds looks better than he has in years and this is the first film I´ve seen in over a decade where the actor is reminiscent of the man that used to be one of the bigger names in Hollywood. He looked younger and better fit than he has in many of the other films he has taken part of in the last decade. He almost looks ready for another "Smokey and the Bandit" film. The supporting cast does an honorable job as well. Steve Coulter portrayed Johnny – the man who had the broken down pickup truck.
"Broken Bridges" finds a local town thrown into a state of depression when five young men are killed in an Army training exercise. The younger brother of country music has-been Bo Brice (Toby Keith) was among the dead, as was the younger brother of Angela Dalton (Kelly Preston). This brings both Dalton and Brice back to their hometown of Armor Springs. The problem is that Bo Brice is the father of Angela´s daughter Dixie Leigh (Lindsey Haun) and disappeared on the night when the pregnant Angela and Bo were to run away together. They haven´t spoken a word since then. So the girlfriend or boyfriend in question that was left is Angela and she was left by Bo. Angela has not been home since the night she left alone and has kept her daughter from meeting not just her father, but her grandparents Jake (Burt Reynolds) and Dixie Rose (Tess Harper). Bo, Angela and Dixie are all kept under the same roof of Jake and Dixie Rose during the town´s healing and they must deal with how they relate to each other in the wake of their sibling´s untimely deaths.
The film is not as much about the healing of Angela, Bo, Jake and Dixie Rose as it is the healing of their own relationships. Dixie Leigh is a rebellious teen who is a spitting image of Avril Levigne. She has never known her small town grandparents or former country star father. Angela does not know her own father and always looked at him as being abusive and domineering towards her mother. She has never questioned why Bo never showed up to leave with her and has placed herself into a frigid emotional state when the topic of her teenage love surfaces. Bo had reached the top spot on country charts, but has battled alcoholism and the demons of leaving Angela behind. He has suffered from losing her and constantly questions having not met her on the night they had planned to leave. Jake has hard feelings towards Bo for leaving Angela and some of the townsfolk call him "No Show" in ridicule for leaving the pregnant Angela.
"Broken Bridges" is one of those films that feel as if it forcefully and artificially tugs at one´s emotional strings. Situations are created to place the characters in sad situations, or to created emotional hardships. Early scenes find Dixie Leigh rejecting her father, but the healing power of the guitar makes that all better. Bo Brice was the Number One Son of Armor Springs, but he has tarnished his image with his drunken behavior and those that still remember him leaving Angela a single mother. The big finale where Bo brings Country Music veterans Willie Nelson and BeBe Winans in for an emotional concert is so cliché ridden and fabricated, that is feels too convenient to be believable, but does enough things right that some viewers are sure to get a little weepy-eyed. The entire film is composed of moments meant to pull the emotional strings of the viewer and show how much suffering all of the characters must deal with before accepting their happy family renaissance at the film´s closure. The stroke that befalls upon poor Dixie Rose is the defining moment of the forceful attack on emotions the filmmakers used to manipulate sadness and eventual teary happiness while watching "Broken Bridges."
The cast does a commendable job. Kelly Preston looked the part of a small-town country girl that is a jaded single mother, but has learned to stand strong on her own two feet. Toby Keith is more than believable as a washed up country singer. I´m not sure when his last hit was, but he seems to know what it feels like to no longer be on top. The young Lindsey Haun has been acting since she was seven years old and her familiarity with the camera and acting shows. Burt Reynolds looks better than he has in years and this is the first film I´ve seen in over a decade where the actor is reminiscent of the man that used to be one of the bigger names in Hollywood. He looked younger and better fit than he has in many of the other films he has taken part of in the last decade. He almost looks ready for another "Smokey and the Bandit" film. The supporting cast does an honorable job as well. Steve Coulter portrayed Johnny – the man who had the broken down pickup truck.
Country songs are typically about one of four things. A country song is either about being dumped by a girl or boyfriend, a broken down pickup truck, beer or crying in a beer because the girlfriend left with the broken down pickup truck and the faithful dog. Surely, a film produced partly the CMT (Country Music Television) Films and starring Toby Keith and Kelly Preston has to involve at least one or more of the topics in question. Dumped by a girl or boyfriend? Check. A broken down pickup truck? Check. A mug or bottle of beer? Check. There is no dog, but the boyfriend does leave at one point in a pickup truck. You see, I grew up on Country Music and while I may sound a bit condescending towards the genre, I love the old country music that included Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams, Jr., and the Statler Brothers. I´ve since moved on to Pearl Jam, Nickelback, Five for Fighting and the Barenaked Ladies. I´ll be the first to admit that I don´t have much familiarity with either Toby Keith or Kelly Preston.
"Broken Bridges" finds a local town thrown into a state of depression when five young men are killed in an Army training exercise. The younger brother of country music has-been Bo Brice (Toby Keith) was among the dead, as was the younger brother of Angela Dalton (Kelly Preston). This brings both Dalton and Brice back to their hometown of Armor Springs. The problem is that Bo Brice is the father of Angela´s daughter Dixie Leigh (Lindsey Haun) and disappeared on the night when the pregnant Angela and Bo were to run away together. They haven´t spoken a word since then. So the girlfriend or boyfriend in question that was left is Angela and she was left by Bo. Angela has not been home since the night she left alone and has kept her daughter from meeting not just her father, but her grandparents Jake (Burt Reynolds) and Dixie Rose (Tess Harper). Bo, Angela and Dixie are all kept under the same roof of Jake and Dixie Rose during the town´s healing and they must deal with how they relate to each other in the wake of their sibling´s untimely deaths.
The film is not as much about the healing of Angela, Bo, Jake and Dixie Rose as it is the healing of their own relationships. Dixie Leigh is a rebellious teen who is a spitting image of Avril Levigne. She has never known her small town grandparents or former country star father. Angela does not know her own father and always looked at him as being abusive and domineering towards her mother. She has never questioned why Bo never showed up to leave with her and has placed herself into a frigid emotional state when the topic of her teenage love surfaces. Bo had reached the top spot on country charts, but has battled alcoholism and the demons of leaving Angela behind. He has suffered from losing her and constantly questions having not met her on the night they had planned to leave. Jake has hard feelings towards Bo for leaving Angela and some of the townsfolk call him "No Show" in ridicule for leaving the pregnant Angela.
"Broken Bridges" is one of those films that feel as if it forcefully and artificially tugs at one´s emotional strings. Situations are created to place the characters in sad situations, or to created emotional hardships. Early scenes find Dixie Leigh rejecting her father, but the healing power of the guitar makes that all better. Bo Brice was the Number One Son of Armor Springs, but he has tarnished his image with his drunken behavior and those that still remember him leaving Angela a single mother. The big finale where Bo brings Country Music veterans Willie Nelson and BeBe Winans in for an emotional concert is so cliché ridden and fabricated, that is feels too convenient to be believable, but does enough things right that some viewers are sure to get a little weepy-eyed. The entire film is composed of moments meant to pull the emotional strings of the viewer and show how much suffering all of the characters must deal with before accepting their happy family renaissance at the film´s closure. The stroke that befalls upon poor Dixie Rose is the defining moment of the forceful attack on emotions the filmmakers used to manipulate sadness and eventual teary happiness while watching "Broken Bridges."
The cast does a commendable job. Kelly Preston looked the part of a small-town country girl that is a jaded single mother, but has learned to stand strong on her own two feet. Toby Keith is more than believable as a washed up country singer. I´m not sure when his last hit was, but he seems to know what it feels like to no longer be on top. The young Lindsey Haun has been acting since she was seven years old and her familiarity with the camera and acting shows. Burt Reynolds looks better than he has in years and this is the first film I´ve seen in over a decade where the actor is reminiscent of the man that used to be one of the bigger names in Hollywood. He looked younger and better fit than he has in many of the other films he has taken part of in the last decade. He almost looks ready for another "Smokey and the Bandit" film. The supporting cast does an honorable job as well. Steve Coulter portrayed Johnny – the man who had the broken down pickup truck.
"Broken Bridges" finds a local town thrown into a state of depression when five young men are killed in an Army training exercise. The younger brother of country music has-been Bo Brice (Toby Keith) was among the dead, as was the younger brother of Angela Dalton (Kelly Preston). This brings both Dalton and Brice back to their hometown of Armor Springs. The problem is that Bo Brice is the father of Angela´s daughter Dixie Leigh (Lindsey Haun) and disappeared on the night when the pregnant Angela and Bo were to run away together. They haven´t spoken a word since then. So the girlfriend or boyfriend in question that was left is Angela and she was left by Bo. Angela has not been home since the night she left alone and has kept her daughter from meeting not just her father, but her grandparents Jake (Burt Reynolds) and Dixie Rose (Tess Harper). Bo, Angela and Dixie are all kept under the same roof of Jake and Dixie Rose during the town´s healing and they must deal with how they relate to each other in the wake of their sibling´s untimely deaths.
The film is not as much about the healing of Angela, Bo, Jake and Dixie Rose as it is the healing of their own relationships. Dixie Leigh is a rebellious teen who is a spitting image of Avril Levigne. She has never known her small town grandparents or former country star father. Angela does not know her own father and always looked at him as being abusive and domineering towards her mother. She has never questioned why Bo never showed up to leave with her and has placed herself into a frigid emotional state when the topic of her teenage love surfaces. Bo had reached the top spot on country charts, but has battled alcoholism and the demons of leaving Angela behind. He has suffered from losing her and constantly questions having not met her on the night they had planned to leave. Jake has hard feelings towards Bo for leaving Angela and some of the townsfolk call him "No Show" in ridicule for leaving the pregnant Angela.
"Broken Bridges" is one of those films that feel as if it forcefully and artificially tugs at one´s emotional strings. Situations are created to place the characters in sad situations, or to created emotional hardships. Early scenes find Dixie Leigh rejecting her father, but the healing power of the guitar makes that all better. Bo Brice was the Number One Son of Armor Springs, but he has tarnished his image with his drunken behavior and those that still remember him leaving Angela a single mother. The big finale where Bo brings Country Music veterans Willie Nelson and BeBe Winans in for an emotional concert is so cliché ridden and fabricated, that is feels too convenient to be believable, but does enough things right that some viewers are sure to get a little weepy-eyed. The entire film is composed of moments meant to pull the emotional strings of the viewer and show how much suffering all of the characters must deal with before accepting their happy family renaissance at the film´s closure. The stroke that befalls upon poor Dixie Rose is the defining moment of the forceful attack on emotions the filmmakers used to manipulate sadness and eventual teary happiness while watching "Broken Bridges."
The cast does a commendable job. Kelly Preston looked the part of a small-town country girl that is a jaded single mother, but has learned to stand strong on her own two feet. Toby Keith is more than believable as a washed up country singer. I´m not sure when his last hit was, but he seems to know what it feels like to no longer be on top. The young Lindsey Haun has been acting since she was seven years old and her familiarity with the camera and acting shows. Burt Reynolds looks better than he has in years and this is the first film I´ve seen in over a decade where the actor is reminiscent of the man that used to be one of the bigger names in Hollywood. He looked younger and better fit than he has in many of the other films he has taken part of in the last decade. He almost looks ready for another "Smokey and the Bandit" film. The supporting cast does an honorable job as well. Steve Coulter portrayed Johnny – the man who had the broken down pickup truck.
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