While I will be the first to admit that when I see the name Tyler Hynes, I know that I am going to watch the movie. But there’s something more important than just him (don’t be mad at me for saying this) starring in Shifting Gears. There’s something more important than Katherine Barrell (who is fabulous, so again, don’t get mad at me for that).
It’s the program behind it and well, it’s one that I think is absolutely important. It’s not always about the people that are in front of the camera. It’s the people behind the camera too. And too often we take for granted those people.
Shifting Gears marks the “directorial debut of Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, the first participant in Hallmark’s Make Her Mark Women’s Directing Program – an on-the-job mentorship initiative designed to advance Hallmark’s commitment to inclusive storytelling by supporting and increasing representation of women behind the camera. The program was founded by long-time Hallmark Media on-and off-air talent and creative partner, Ashley Williams, in collaboration with Hallmark Media executives. With this program, they have created a training ground for women to learn and then give them an opportunity to showcase their skills in the director’s chair.”
And that is a really big thing.
I just want to say that for a first-time director, Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, did an amazing job. You definitely couldn’t tell this was a directorial debut. Had I not known, I never would have guessed.
Shifting Gears isn’t like most Hallmark movies. Yes, some would say that it follows a formula, but I would argue that it’s a different one. Shifting Gears is a movie all its own, giving a look at a strong woman who finds her voice. Yes, there is a love story that is in there, but the movie isn’t about a love story. Its strength lies in the character evolution, a story that has excellent pacing, and chemistry between the entire cast.
Jess is talented and has a passion for restoring cars. Some seem to be in shock that she’s so talented, because you know, she’s a woman. But she really wants to open other women’s eyes to see that they too can be mechanics. There’s an excitement in fixing something. There’s a joy in bringing things back to life.
Luke loves working on cars, but has traded working on cars for a suit in his father’s company. It’s not where he’s happy, but he feels that he has to do it. He feels an allegiance to his father (as one should), but he misses Jess.
Yes, the two used to date. They stopped dating because of issues with their fathers. The two had grown up together and most of their memories are wrapped up in each other. How lonely the characters must feel to lose someone in their lives who was meant to be there, but they lost them. It’s something that we all – well most of us – have unfortunately experienced.
Jess is obviously still mad at Luke from the moment she sees him, but the tension between them is obvious. That goes to show the on-screen chemistry between Tyler Hynes and Katherine Barrell. The two both have a vulnerability in their acting, one that makes you watch them and just feel. There’s no defining feeling – it’s just feels. You have all of the ups and downs of their relationship and you find yourself just rooting for these two.
And that’s because of Tyler Hynes and Katherine Barrell.
But it’s also because of the way that they are directed. Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe really put her heart into making this story come to life. Every scene comes to life with a strategy and though I may not know what that strategy is, I don’t question it. I don’t question it because everything weaves together like poetry. The scenes find a way to come together where you’re laughing, smiling, rooting for them, crying, and you have a payoff.
When you’re watching one of these movies, that’s what you want. A payoff. You want to know that you’re in it for a reason. Sometimes it’s just about the love story, but in this movie, it’s not just that. You’re invested in the competition and who will win. You’re impressed with the knowledge that the contestants have. Yet above all of that, you’re mostly impressed with the feeling that you walk away with after each stage of the competition. What is that feeling?
Well, that’s the feeling that you can do anything and that you can be anything. It doesn’t matter what your sex is. What matters is that you do everything that you can in order to learn and hone your craft. What matters is that you put your heart into what you love.
Yes, yes, I know that I am sounding preachy. But that’s not my intention. When I write these things, I have a tendency to just write how something makes me feel or what I find myself exploring and learning.
In this movie, Jess is filled with doubt and second-guessing herself. As she progresses on the show, you see her talent. You see that she’s done all she can to make sure that she can win because she wants to save her father’s garage. However, even more than that, she wants to make a difference. While it may have annoyed me a bit that we kept having to hear how she was a woman, I do understand why. It’s the way life is.
And it doesn’t have to be that way.
What I did love about Luke was the fact that he was always rooting for Jess and wanted to make sure that she knew her worth. Yes, he really did love her and wanted to be with her, but that was secondary. What he did first was try to make sure that she knew her talent and her worth. I never for a second felt like it was a “move” but instead was support.
Luke and Jess may start the filming of the television show not really knowing how to relate to each other, but it’s not for a lack of wanting to. It’s a matter of hanging onto the past and feeling swept up by emotions of the past. It’s only when they start to deal with the present that they realize that the feelings of the past may not be what they are truly feeling now.
Shifting Gears isn’t just about cars. Yes, the cars take front and center. What it’s also about is shifting mindsets. We (human beings) spend so much time trying our best to live, but sometimes we’re just existing. Sometimes it’s a mix of both. We go through the process – sometimes getting stuck in emotions of the past and hanging onto those, allowing them to dictate our lives. We need to shift our mindset to see the possibilities. We need to shift our mindset to find strength.
That isn’t always going to be easy, but it’s definitely something that can change not only our lives but also the lives of others. For Luke and Jess, doing just that changes who they are, but also changes the lives of those around them.
If we shift gears in our lives and our mindset, imagine what we could do.
Shifting Gears is a movie that will definitely make you think about the what ifs but also about the what could be. And hey, what is better than something that gives you hope and positivity?
I can’t think of anything better than that.
The chemistry was not there with the stars. The scenes were too forced.
Somehting was just off with the whole movie.