Valentines day is known as the day for lovers and it’s a time when we watch all things romance. Some people are into super sugary ooey gooey romance movies and that’s fine, I love my fair share of them too. If you want to watch a Romance film that’s not like that, may I suggest Jackie & Ryan starring Katherine Heigl and Ben Barnes?
What it’s about:
A chance encounter leads to romance between a down-and-out, former country-music star (Katherine Heigl) and a guitar-strumming drifter (Ben Barnes).
What I love about Jackie & Ryan is that it’s not your average romance film. Before Jackie and Ryan meet, they’re both on different paths; Jackie a former country music star, is living with her mother in Ogden Utah after taking her daughter Lia and leaving her husband and former life in New York. She’s in a fight to keep custody of her and at the same time, she’s struggling to find her own voice.
Ryan is a train hopper who dreams of becoming a successful musician. He’s struggling a little to find his voice as well. He and his friend Georgie play music together but it’s never their own songs. When he and Jackie meet, they both change each others lives.
Like I said, both of them were struggling to find their voices in some way. It’s not really clear what happened between Jackie and her ex-husband Wes but it’s obvious they had a very rocky relationship. Jackie is trying to find herself again and working to be the best mother she can for Lia. Ryan coming into her life wakes something up in her and he helps her find the strength again that she once had.
Jackie inspires Ryan to write his own music and to finish a song because she knows it’s inside of him. She encourages him to go after his dreams and the best part about this movie is that neither one of them tries to stop the other from going after what they want. Like Jackie says to her daughter Lia; “Sometimes people just come through to tell you something then once you heard it, they go.”
Another thing I love about Jackie & Ryan is the scenery. The film takes place in Utah and it’s so beautiful. The mountain backdrops are breathtaking and it only adds to the romance between Jackie and Ryan. It just looks like a peaceful place with fresh clean air. How could you not fall in love in a place like that right?
Of course the last thing I need to talk about is the chemistry between Ben Barnes and Katherine Heigl. I loved them together in this film because their relationship just looked so easy. There’s a lot of quiet reflection happening between them but it doesn’t pull you away from them, it makes you look at them more because that’s one thing about relationships we don’t often see. Those quiet moments when you can just sit together and just be.
Other Thoughts
- Ben Barnes has beautiful hands and there were lots of shots which I must thank director Ami Canaan Mann for.
- Ben Barnes always looks good with tattoos
- Ben Barnes always looks good period.
- Jackie’s mom is rude as hell and she never even apologized for how she initially treated Ryan.
- I love the music in this film especially when Ben Barnes sings ‘Southbound’
- Jackie’s ex-husband is an ass.
- The way Ben says “He’s not gonna take her from you.”
- That first kiss between Jackie & Ryan… Swoon.
- Ben’s biceps in that white T though.
Will this movie make your Valentine’s Day? Feel free to tell us in the comments below!
Jackie & Ryan is available to stream for free on Pluto TV, and Tubi.
