I’m watching a movie called “Wild Hearts” on the Hallmark Channel. Having a post-op shoulder means I can type on my laptop while my hind quarters are anchored to the sofa, so I see a lot of movies. This movie has all of the story beats that I would put in it. This is good and bad.
Beats:
Richard Thomas is a former LA detective who goes home to take over as interim sheriff for his recently deceasd father. He is a widower and he brings his daughter along. There was estrangement between father and son, and distance between father and daughter. There is the ranch with the wild mustangs and Simon Legree is trying to buy it. Richard Thomas has discovered the cores from a drilling project that no one seems to know about. Nancy McKeon is in this and I think she has become a good actress.
Good:
I like this kind of movie. The general themes of redemption are right there and are waiting for Richard Thomas to be broken on the wheel of his pride. We know it is coming, and how that coming happens determines if we will feel satisfied.
Bad:
This story contains the beats I like to write. These movies only end up on Hallmark, Lifetime, etc. There isn’t a lot of money in it; there are thousands of writers who drum up these stories.
Update:
More bad - the plot is as creaky as a rusty windmill on a lonesome ranch. Feral wolf imprinting on humans? Don’t mention it. Let’s all meet at the abandoned silver mine for the final apocalypse. feh.