The Lost Husband

This is a solid, enjoyable romantic drama that isn't geared toward kids but is fairly family-friendly. At first glance, writer-director Vicky Wight's second feature seems to display all the signs of a Hallmark movie. But The Lost Husband is well beyond that, boasting solid acting, a twisty storyline, a phenomenal soundtrack, and a romance that's about completely letting go of the one you loved before getting involved with someone else. It's unpredictable and yet relatable from the get-go: An upper-middle-class but broke widow escapes her self-absorbed mother's control to go start anew at her estranged aunt's goat farm, where she's expected to do lots of backbreaking work. At the crack of dawn. All day. When Duhamel breezes in, you know instantly that his O'Connor is the love interest (or "hot farmer," as the female locals call him), but things are more frosty than frisky. And while you know all along how things are going to end, it takes a long time to get there.

The movie is politically aware and yet simultaneously politically ambiguous. It takes place in Texas, but it's made clear that Aunt Jean is a "hippie liberal farmer" (a stellar turn by Nora Dunn). And her boyfriend is a "conservative lawyer and entrepreneur." O'Connor covers his truck with message bumper stickers, argues against college, and teaches kids who aren't his own to take on a bully with a jab to the solar plexus. Libby demurs on identifying her political stance, but she locks horns with the public school principal on zero-tolerance policies -- something that many parents will relate to, but perhaps isn't the best attitude to demonstrate for kids when respect for authority is crucial. The music is also an unexpected delight, mixing forgotten favorites with songs by one of Austin's favorite musicians, Bob Schneider, that will be new to most. The film is really Libby's journey of self-discovery, like Eat Pray Love on a budget, and the romance is just the well-deserved icing on the cake. While The Lost Husband isn't going to blow you away -- it's entertaining but not amazing -- it should be recognized for not falling into the trap of many films categorized under romance: It's not "syrupy" or "saccharine." Perhaps, it is "agave" -- a slightly healthier sweet.