Forever My Girl is a sugary flop

Movie Title:    Forever My Girl

Grade:  C-

Rating: PG
 1 hour 48 minutes

In a Nutshell:   This toe-tapping, sugary chick flick is based on a New York Times best-selling novel by Heidi McLaughlin.  Heidi even appears in the funeral scene as an Extra. 


It sure feels like a formulaic Nicholas Spark movie or something you’d see on the Hallmark channel, although it's not nearly as good.

                                                

Tips for parents: 

• No profanity.
• Liam gets drunk.
• Billy informs Liam about all of the dangers of convertibles.  While they’re true, I still drive my convertible and love it.
• Talk of pre-marital relations
• Liam teaches his daughter, “Sometimes you just need to let go and live on the wild side.”  How do you feel about that advice?
• Young rom-com fan girls will probably like the movie.

 Uplifting theme: 

• Your choices will define you.
• Family
• Community
• Loyalty
• Forgiveness                                                                                                                       
  

Things I liked:

• Abby Ryder Fortson, who plays the precocious Billy, is adorable.  She did a really great job, although her lines are much more advanced than what they should be for her age.
• If you liked Jessica Rothe in Happy Death Day, you'll be happy to see a softer side of her in this. 
• The cast includes Alex Roe, John Benjami Hickey, Abby Ryder Forstson, and Judith Hoag, with a special cameo by Travis Tritt, who sings the original song, “Slowin’ Down.”
• The small Louisiana town of St. Augustine is picturesque and charming, but actually filmed in Georgia.  I lived in Alpharetta, Georgia for 15 years!  I absolutely loved the Southern Hospitality and magical fireflies.  What I hated was the humidity and the fire ants!
• I was expecting a slap to the face, but the stomach punch was much better.  Ha ha
•  It was directed by a woman, Bethany Ashton Wolf.
• Country music fans will enjoy the soundtrack.

Things I didn’t like:

• The protagonist, Liam Page (Alex Roe), is not very likable.  He easily gets forgiven for being such a jerk to everyone, not just to Josie.  He never really gives a good reason for humiliating and leaving her on their wedding day.  He clearly has a drinking problem, but it's never addressed in the movie...ever.
• Some pretty terrible Southern accents. 
• Very slow moving.
• What ever happened to the burgers?
• Ultimately, it’s pretty forgettable.
• Yeah, sure, it’s easy to forgive someone who is rich and famous, but what if Liam had become a homeless bum with nothing to offer Josie?  
• Fans of the book may be thrown by the fact that Josie and Liam have a son in the book, but a daughter in the movie.

Funny Lines:

• “I said I wanted to meet him, but I never said I’d be easy on him.” – Billy 

                                                    

                                           

                                           @trinaboice