movie review forever my girl

Forever My Girl

“If you’re a fan of Nicholas Sparks movies, you’ll love ‘Forever My Girl.’”

And if you aren’t? Consider yourself warned.

Actually, using this TV-ad version of a pick-up line in the service of selling a sentimental riff on second chances based on a series of popular YA books by author Heidi McLaughlin isn’t an entirely bad idea.  That’s because the Sparks brand of big-screen adaptations was officially snuffed out in 2016 after No. 11, “ The Choice ,” collected a measly $19 million in ticket sales. Therefore, one can’t exactly fault the makers of “Forever My Girl” for taking advantage of the void left in the cinematic universe for lovey-dovey schmaltz dressed up with family-values messages.

Certainly, “Forever My Girl”‘s overtly predictable plot has more logic than any outing that takes place in what I like to call Sparks-landia, a sort of hybrid Harlequin romance-“Twin Peaks” bizarre-o world where kisses only happen when the spit-swappers are drenched with water, youthful flashback versions of characters look nothing like their older counterparts and tragedy is most likely to rear its head just as complete and utter happiness is within reach.

This yarn about Liam Page, an obscenely coddled country superstar ( Alex Roe ) who left his high-school  sweetheart and fiancée Josie ( Jessica Rothe ) high and dry at the altar eight years ago while fleeing  small-town Louisiana doesn’t traffic in drippy kisses, crazy coincidences or worldly-wise geezers. Instead, it is as bland as a mayonnaise sandwich on white bread—after someone forgot the mayo. It is a movie where a lot seems to happen but it adds up to nothing much.

Still, writer/dirctor Bethany Ashley Wolf has her own non-Sparks oddball plot points to contend with. That includes Liam’s precious battered Nokia flip phone that contains Jodie’s final message from years ago—one he never replied to—that takes up a goodly chunk of the running time. Also, grief over the loss of various departed loved ones and guilt over bad choices past and present drive the actions of the leads far more than any sense of re-ignited passion. While Wolf makes an admirable effort to populate the fictional Southern burg with a number of people of color, none of them are allowed to contribute in any meaningful way to the action.

That includes what leads Liam to go back and finally face the music as well as Josie’s wrath in the form of a literal punch to the gut. While watching the local news after a New Orleans concert, he learns that his best buddy from high school—who happens to be African-American and a councilman—has died in an accident. His desire to attend his pal’s memorial might be sincere, but it feels more like an excuse to take a break from the pressures of fame. Liam is even too chicken to truly participate in the service, presided over by his pastor father (seasoned actor John Benjamin Hickey , a welcome counter-balance to the lesser knowns in the cast) who initially is not pleased to see that his prodigal son has returned.

But what is most confusing about the direction the plot takes is that instead of trying to woo Josie back, Liam invests most of his efforts into winning over her Code-Red-level precocious seven-year-old daughter ( Abby Ryder Fortson of “ Ant-Man ”)—especially after doing the math and learning her name is Billie (Liam is Irish for William). Duh, of course, she is his kid. It is somewhat sweet that he starts making up for lost daddy time and is thrilled that Billie has inherited his talent for guitar strumming. But it feels like an eternity before actual romance enters the picture. Instead, fear of pet rabbits, the need for a child-size car seat and the ins and outs of ordering items online are dealt with. And, despite her protestations that she got along just fine without him, and even owns her own florist shop and everything, Josie is pretty much a pushover, despite whatever emotional speed bumps might crop up along the way. 

Not having read the book that “Forever My Girl” is based on, I have to trust the upset online fans who are peeved that Liam is no longer a bad-boy rocker and Josie is now a blonde instead of a brunette. Also at issue: Their child was originally a ten-year-old son. But Rothe—not used to full advantage here—has a certain star quality and can sing and dance, which you would only know if you saw her as one of Emma Stone ’s roommates in “ La La Land .” Roe is quite a doll, chest-hugging T-shirts and all, and has a good-enough voice to carry the not-bad original songs on the soundtrack. Besides, Travis Tritt kindly puts in a cameo and Blake Shelton is name-checked. Still, there is more pleasure to be had in the dwindling returns of CMT’s “ Nashville ” than in this country soap-opera.    

Susan Wloszczyna

Susan Wloszczyna spent much of her nearly thirty years at USA TODAY as a senior entertainment reporter. Now unchained from the grind of daily journalism, she is ready to view the world of movies with fresh eyes.

• John Benjamin Hickey as Pastor Brian
• Abby Ryder Fortson as Billy
• Jessica Rothe as Josie
• Peter Cambor as Sam
• Tyler Riggs as Jake
• Morgan Alexandria as Kiera
• Gillian Vigman as Doris
• Alex Roe as Liam Page
• Bethany Ashton Wolf

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Review: In ‘Forever My Girl,’ a Romance Resumes After a Long Break

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By Glenn Kenny

• Jan. 19, 2018

This rather astonishing movie begins with a lovely young bride-to-be, Josie (Jessica Rothe), abandoned before even getting to the altar by her high-school sweetheart, Liam (Alex Roe), who’s absconded in pursuit of music business fame. Eight years later, Liam is a stadium-filling country music star, as well as a promiscuous drunk. (The credible songs are mostly by Brett Boyett.) His one nonstandard-issue eccentricity is an attachment to an ancient cellphone, which contains Josie’s last voice mail message to him. On a New Orleans tour stop, he learns of the death of his best friend in nearby Saint Augustine, the town from which he bailed. On impulse, he heads there.

While the Prodigal Son of scripture returned home after working out a heartfelt plea of forgiveness, Liam just shows up. Are there hard feelings? Sure, but they’re the softest hard feelings you’ve seen in any work of fiction, or nonfiction, ever. Also turns out that Josie, as fresh and lovely as ever, has an adorably precocious moppet of a daughter, Billy, whom she has named after Liam’s long-deceased mother.

There is no talk of potentially seven years worth of unpaid child support; no mention of formalizing any sort of custody arrangement. This group must somehow form a family, as the “Brady Bunch” theme song says, and so it goes, with one dopey speed bump that presumes to explain and erase Liam’s damage. The rest is pure romance-novel wish-fulfillment. The director, Bethany Ashton Wolf, who adapted the screenplay from, yes, a romance novel by Heidi McLaughlin, can concoct some Hallmark-greeting-card-quality shots, but has little flair for piecing them together. The lead actors are very pretty.

Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes.

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Forever my girl.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 4 Reviews
• Kids Say 9 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Sweet romance is all about family, faith; some drinking.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Forever My Girl is a romantic drama about a hugely famous country singer named Liam (Alex Roe) who returns to his hometown after eight years and tries to re-woo Josie (Jessica Rothe), the high school sweetheart he left at the altar. Based on the novel by Heidi McLaughlin, the movie…

Why Age 10+?

"Crap," "hell," "oh my God." Insult language along

Liam drinks a lot, sometimes to excess (even to the point of basically passing o

In one scene, young Billy nearly chokes and requires several moments of life-sav

Liam wakes up after a one-night stand to find a young woman wearing nothing but

Nokia, W Hotel, Mustang, Chevy Tahoe.

Any Positive Content?

Promotes the idea of redemption, second chances, not giving up on the people you

Liam has a lot of flaws but ultimately redeems himself, proving he's interes

"Crap," "hell," "oh my God." Insult language along the lines of "freaking," "idiot," "stupid," and "big fat idiot."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Liam drinks a lot, sometimes to excess (even to the point of basically passing out) and usually by himself. Adults drink vodka, beer, wine at bars, dinners, dates, barbecues, etc. Vague references to former drug use.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

In one scene, young Billy nearly chokes and requires several moments of life-saving maneuvers. An upsetting flashback shows a young boy traumatized by watching medical personnel work on his very ill mother in the hospital. Some arguing, yelling, personal conflict. News report tells of a man's death in a car accident; his funeral and grieving widow are shown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Liam wakes up after a one-night stand to find a young woman wearing nothing but his concert T-shirt; it's obvious they slept together, but it all happens off camera. Other than that, there's flirting and a couple of passionate kisses.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Positive messages.

Promotes the idea of redemption, second chances, not giving up on the people you love, remembering where you come from, and committing to your family. It also shows that fame and fortune aren't as important as relationships. Humility is a theme, as Liam has to learn to put others first.

Positive Role Models

Liam has a lot of flaws but ultimately redeems himself, proving he's interested in being a present father and supportive husband -- and a musician who puts his family first. Josie is forgiving, loving, and kind. She's also a protective mother. Liam's father is an understanding and empathetic pastor, father, and grandfather. The cast isn't notably diverse.

Parents need to know that Forever My Girl is a romantic drama about a hugely famous country singer named Liam ( Alex Roe ) who returns to his hometown after eight years and tries to re-woo Josie ( Jessica Rothe ), the high school sweetheart he left at the altar. Based on the novel by Heidi McLaughlin, the movie is more faith-based than the book and, unlike its source material, doesn't have any overt love scenes. There is one scene where Liam wakes up after an implied one-night stand to find a young woman wearing nothing but his concert T-shirt, but what happened between them is never shown. Plus, characters kiss, and Billy is clear evidence that Liam and Josie's teen relationship was a sexually active one. Language includes words like "crap," "hell," "freaking" and "idiot," and Liam drinks quite a bit (sometimes to the verge of passing out), and there are vague references to former drug use. Characters' arguments could bother sensitive kids, and an upsetting flashback shows a young boy traumatized by watching medical personnel work on his very ill mother in the hospital. But the movie offers many positive messages, particularly about redemption, humility, second chances, and unconditional love. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (4)
• Kids say (9)

Based on 4 parent reviews

Not Appropriate

What's the story.

FOREVER MY GIRL starts off on the fateful day that 19-year-old Liam Page ( Alex Roe ) leaves his fiancée/high school sweetheart, Josie ( Jessica Rothe ), at the altar. Eight years later, Liam is a hard-drinking, commitment-phobic country music superstar who's never returned to his small Louisiana hometown, St. Augustine. Then, when he's in New Orleans for a gig, the local news alerts Liam to the tragic fact that his best friend from high school, now a local politician, has died in a car accident. Liam feels compelled to go back home, where he bumps into his father ( John Benjamin Hickey ) -- the town preacher -- and, of course, Josie, who now has a young daughter. Abruptly ditching his concert tour, Liam decides to stick around and catch up with his dad (from whom he's been estranged). And he soon discovers that Josie's precocious 7-year-old daughter, Billy (Abby Ryder Forston), is his child. Liam works on getting to know Billy and win back Josie's heart, but Josie's protective older brother, Jake (Tyler Riggs), reminds Liam that not everyone has forgotten or forgiven his abandonment.

Is It Any Good?

This sweet faith-based romance -- which is even more teen-friendly than the Heidi McLaughlin novel on which it's based -- benefits from charming performances and a notable country soundtrack. Unlike many romances that follow the drama of falling in love, Forever My Girl is a story of a second chance between two people who never fully fell out of love. Liam and Josie have a lot of emotional baggage to sort out and a child to put first, but it's clear from the first time they see each other that they're bound to reunite -- wedding day abandonment and international country music careers all but forgotten. The stakes never feel that high, but it's pleasant enough to see the characters arrive at their happily ever after ... in the same way that Hallmark Christmas romances or Lifetime movies are predictable and safe but still satisfying.

An unexpected difference from the original book (which was the first in a series) is that the filmmakers have injected a healthy dose of faith-based content and themes into the story -- to the point that viewers unfamiliar with the book might assume it's Christian fiction. The original material isn't spiritual (Liam's father's isn't a pastor, the church isn't a central meeting point for the town, etc.), but the faith-based aspects actually work here. What we end up with is a romance, a father-daughter love story (even though it's pretty hard to believe that Liam never heard about Billy, even from his own dad), and a prodigal son tale. Forever My Girl is one of those rare dramas that's clean enough for older tweens and younger teens and well-made enough for romance-loving parents to enjoy. If you want sizzling and swoon-worthy, watch Outlander , but for a light, message-filled romance, this one's worth checking out.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how Forever My Girl 's romance storyline works with its more Christian themes. Do you think the movie, which isn't based on Christian fiction, needed the faith-based elements? Why or why not?

Who are the role models in Forever My Girl ? What character strengths do they display? How does Liam learn humility ?

How is drinking portrayed? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

If you've read the book, what do you think of the changes to the story? Do they make the movie more or less appropriate for younger viewers?

Movie Details

• In theaters : January 19, 2018
• On DVD or streaming : April 24, 2018
• Cast : Alex Roe , Jessica Rothe , John Benjamin Hickey , Abby Ryder Fortson
• Director : Bethany Ashton Wolf
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors
• Studio : Roadside Attractions
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Book Characters
• Character Strengths : Humility
• Run time : 104 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : thematic elements including drinking, and for language
• Last updated : June 11, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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‘forever my girl’: film review.

A country music superstar reconnects with the woman he left at the altar in 'Forever My Girl,' a romantic drama based on Heidi McLaughlin's novel.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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You have to give credit to Bethany Ashton Wolf’s adaptation of Heidi McLaughlin’s novel Forever My Girl ‘ for not shying away from its clichés . This Hallmark Channel-style romance about a country music superstar who returns to his hometown after many years and discovers that he has a 7-year-old daughter proudly embraces its aw-shucks romanticism and family-friendly bromides. The film’s committed sincerity should well please its target audience.   

The central characters are Liam Page (Alex Roe, The Fifth Wave ), who has achieved fame and fortune as a country music singer-songwriter, and Josie (Jessica Rothe ), the woman he abandoned at the altar eight years earlier to pursue his dream of stardom. Liam, who reduces his fans to wide-eyed catatonia when he’s in their presence, takes ample advantage of his privileged situation. Spotting a beautiful blonde in the front row at his arena concert, he orders his manager to make sure that she’s sent up to his hotel room.

Release date: Jan 19, 2018

Liam’s underlying unhappiness becomes evident the next morning, when the hapless groupie steps on his vintage cellphone and breaks it. Desperate to have it repaired so he can retrieve a message, he races barefoot down a New Orleans street and bursts into a phone store, promising $10,000 to whoever can fix it.

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Roadside attractions picks up 'forever my girl' for october release.

When Liam finds out that his former best friend has been killed in a car accident, he returns to his small Louisiana hometown for the funeral. He finds a distinctly chilly reception from the residents and even his own father (John Benjamin Hickey), the local pastor, whom he hasn’t bothered to contact since he left years earlier. But Liam decides to stick around for a while after he runs into his former girlfriend Josie ( Rothe ) and quickly figures out that he’s the father of her precocious 7-year-old daughter Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson ).

You can pretty much guess the rest of the plot, as Liam, much to his manager’s and publicist’s consternation, temporarily abandons his high-flying musical career and settles down to repair his relationship with his father, attempt to win back the love of his life and get to know the daughter he didn’t know he had. It’s not an easy task, especially since he has led such an apparently sheltered existence that he doesn’t carry credit cards or own a car and has no clue how to make an internet purchase. Of course, such practicalities don’t necessarily matter since, when he finally gets Josie to agree to go out with him on a date, he’s able to whisk her to New Orleans on a private helicopter.

Forever My Girl features a nice authenticity in its depiction of the details of small-town life, such as the table inside a church featuring a pile of hats that congregants have placed there upon entering. Unfortunately, the film’s characterizations and plot elements are far more artificial-feeling, including the little girl who casually throws around such phrases as “process the news” and “walk on the wild side.” She also says that she isn’t impressed by Liam’s music. “Not really my cup of tea, no offense,” she tells him, sounding like a British dowager. Later, she changes her tune and reveals an instinctive talent for playing guitar.

Berlin: Alex Roe to Star in Romantic Drama 'A Moment to Remember' (Exclusive)

The storyline’s more melodramatic moments — including Liam becoming helplessly frozen when Billy nearly chokes to death on some food, leading to the revelation of a childhood trauma that’s left lingering emotional scars — border on cringe-inducing. On the other hand, it’s difficult to entirely resist the film’s heartwarming portrait of decent people who genuinely care for each other and strive to do the right thing. 

The two leads are both highly appealing, with Roe credible as a country music superstar whose repertoire includes such original songs as “Don’t Water Down My Whiskey” and Rothe delivering a warm portrayal that’s miles away from her recent starring role in the horror film Happy Death Day . Hickey projects a quiet dignity as Liam’s pastor dad, and Travis Tritt enhances the film’s country music bona fides with his brief supporting turn.

Production company: LD Entertainment Distributor: Roadside Attractions Cast: Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe , Abby Ryder Fortson , Travis Tritt , John Benjamin Hickey, Tyler Riggs Director-screenwriter: Bethany Ashton Wolf Producers: Mickey Liddell , Pete Shilaimon , Jennifer Monroe Executive producers: Alison Semenza , Nicole Stojkovich , Zach Trann Director of photography: Duane Manwiller Production designer: John Collins Costume designer: Eulyn C. Hufkie Composer: Brett Boyett

Rated PG, 104 minutes

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Review: ‘Forever My Girl’ is country-flavored romantic escapism that (for once) is written and directed by women

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Romance novelist and screenwriter Nicholas Sparks cornered the market on a subgenre he essentially invented — exceedingly pleasant, Southern-set epic romances (between young, attractive, white, Christian, heterosexual couples).

But this is a subgenre that overwhelmingly appeals to a female moviegoing audience, so it’s about time female creators have been given a place to shape the voice and perspective of these stories. Writer-director Bethany Ashton Wolf has adapted Heidi McLaughlin’s novel in “Forever My Girl,” a tale of love lost and found.

Love is lost when homegrown country pop star Liam Page (Alex Roe) ditches his high school sweetheart Josie (Jessica Rothe) at the altar during a frenzy surrounding his first hit single. Eight years later, he’s become the Justin Bieber of contemporary country music, an instantly recognizable, overly-entitled enfant terrible pursued by rabid mobs of fans and photographers everywhere he goes.

Sad news from his hometown of Saint Augustine, La., sets Liam on a course back home, much to the chagrin of his long-suffering manager Sam (Peter Cambor) and high-powered Hollywood publicist Doris (Gillian Vigman). No one at home seems to be all too pleased to see him either. Not his dad, Pastor Brian (John Benjamin Hickey), and definitely not his ex, who slugs him a good one. The only one who seems remotely interested is — drumroll, please — his 7-year-old daughter, Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), whose existence comes as a complete surprise to Liam.

The precocious Billy is the catalyst for Liam and Josie to reunite, and for Liam to leave his bad boy ways behind, embracing fatherhood. But she never feels like a real character. Instead, she’s simply a device to enable Liam to find himself. Her dialogue is always a bit too pointed, picking up a guitar and asking him to show her how to write songs. Even her name, Billy, is a reference to his deceased mother. In trying to answer the question “what happened,” the film twists itself up in ham-fisted psychological explanations. At a certain point, you wish the poor guy could just get some therapy.

Rothe and Roe have a palpable chemistry, and she makes the most of her scorned Southern belle role, not that she has all that much agency, waiting around for Liam to get it together. “Forever My Girl” is truly a showcase for the British hunk Roe, who is gifted with a pair of piercing blue eyes, all the better to smolder with, and the ability to wear a T-shirt better than anyone else has ever worn a T-shirt. His Liam is tortured, bratty and ultimately broken, and because he seeks redemption, he is redeemable within the world of the story.

“Forever My Girl” doesn’t stray from the formula or do anything revolutionary. The story is resolved a bit too easily, but that works for the world of the film, which is sanded down, buffed out, a bucolic, “Steel Magnolias”-inspired fantasy land of wide front porches, charming flower shops and the mega-famous rock stars that wander into them. This uncomplicated romantic tale of a man trying to do right by the women in his life may even be pure fantasy. But for an audience seeking fluffy, escapist, country music-tinged romance, it’ll hit a sweet spot.

-------------

‘Forever My Girl’

Rating: PG, for thematic elements including drinking, and for language

Running time: 1 hour, 44 minutes

Playing: In general release

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Forever My Girl (2018)

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• DVD & Streaming

Forever My Girl

• Drama , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• January 19, 2018
• Alex Roe as Liam Page; Jessica Rothe as Josie; John Benjamin Hickey as Pastor Brian; Abby Ryder Fortson as Billy; Tyler Riggs as Jake; Peter Cambor as Sam and Gillian Vigman as Doris.

Home Release Date

• April 24, 2018
• Bethany Ashton Wolf

Distributor

• Roadside Attractions

Movie Review

Liam Page had it all in his quiet hometown of St. Augustine, Louisiana: the admiration, the talent, the girl. Until one sunny afternoon he left his high school sweetheart at the altar, and everything changed.

Now, almost a decade later, the funeral of a close friend finds Liam, a popular country musician, back in the same small town from which he mysteriously fled. This time he can’t run away.

Brokenness and despair land Liam on the doorstep of his childhood home where he must face his pastor father, the love of his life and the daughter he never knew he had. But the road to redemption is never easy. And Liam soon learns that no amount of fame can erase the memory of what he’s done or the past he’s been running from his entire life.

Positive Elements

Every day, Liam listens to a message from Josie (his childhood sweetheart), which reminds him of his past and ultimately forces him to confront all he’s tried to leave behind. The message encourages Liam to hold on to love and hope, even in the hardest of times.

Liam wants to make amends for all the years that have passed since he left. He knows that it was wrong to leave Josie; and he wants to get to know his daughter, no matter the cost. What’s more, Liam tells Josie that he knows he doesn’t deserve a second chance. But he says that he will go at her pace and operate respectfully within the boundaries she sets. Gradually, we see Liam grow into a loving and fun father who truly wants to change and to build a solid relationship with his daughter; this in turn influences his music for the better.

Although Liam pushes his father away early on, his father made numerous attempts to reach out to him. His dad ultimately welcomes his returning prodigal back with open arms. And while Liam continually runs way from his problems, he learns to change those patterns in a way that leads toward healing by movie’s end. He also demonstrates concrete expressions of love when he repairs his deceased mother’s beloved rose garden and buys gifts for others.

Josie and her daughter, Billy, have a healthy and loving relationship, something that’s evident in multiple scenes. Josie, for her part, also progresses as someone who is able to forgive and trust once again; Liam’s father does the same.

Liam also learns what it means to function as an adult, which is a struggle for him as he’s been handed everything from a young age; this shows the resilience and the common sense that he builds within himself to become a better man.

Josie eventually chooses to forgive Liam as well; the two get married and embark on a fresh journey with their daughter.

Spiritual Elements

After he returns to St. Augustine, Liam’s father preaches a sermon on forgiveness, telling his congregation that it’s necessary even when it’s profoundly difficult. He also says that God comforts those who are struggling with grief, quoting Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted.”

Billy, Liam’s daughter, is the first to extend forgiveness to her father when she asks her mom to have him over for dinner. In this moment, we see the innocence of a child and her remarkable capacity to love and forgive without restraint.

The church building is the focal point of messages such as forgiveness and redemption; the church is where many characters go for resolution and peace; and the church is the setting for the movie’s finale.

Sexual Content

After an emotionally draining night, Liam wakes up (shirtless and in boxers) in a bed that isn’t his. He realizes he’s slept with a groupie, and he frantically hurries to leave. She follows him down the hall in an oversized t-shirt, asking him to call later. Various other scenes also show Liam in his boxers.

Josie wears a skirt and shorts that are a tad short. And one dress sports a little cleavage and an open back.

During a romantic date, Liam and Josie slow dance (with his hand lingering on her lower back) and kiss; Liam fixes Josie’s dress strap at the end of the night. The couple also share multiple, passionate kisses. Liam quickly learns that Josie was pregnant when he left her at the altar, though she never told him. Billy asks her father at one point, “Why’d you leave my mama?”

Josie’s brother makes a pass at Liam’s publicist, Doris.

Violent Content

Mason Belmont, a high school friend of Liam’s, is killed by a drunk driver, leaving behind two young children and a wife. (We don’t witness the accident, but we hear about it via the news.) Mason’s funeral is held in Louisiana. At the funeral, Josie punches Liam in the stomach.

Liam has a bit of a temper. We see him punch a bar mirror and cut his hand at one point. In another scene, Billy asks her father, “You’re not gonna kill me or anything, are you?” Elsewhere, little Billy worries that her pet rabbit “might bite me or scratch my eyes out.” In one scene, Billy chokes on food, which causes a scare.

Liam’s phone has to be repaired after a groupie jumps on it repeatedly. Josie and Liam discuss their mothers’ deaths (including one of whom we hear was killed in a car accident).

Crude or Profane Language

The phrase “h— yeah” is heard in a song. We hear the word “flippin,'” and someone is called an idiot.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

One of Liam’s hit songs includes a request to not “water down my whiskey.” But that doesn’t seem to be an issue in his life: Multiple scenes show Liam drinking and purchasing vodka (and asking for a bottle), as well as beer and other hard liquor.

Liam’s father tried repeatedly in his past to tell him about his daughter, but Liam was always too intoxicated to receive that message. And even after he begins to turn a corner, Liam’s still shown drinking quite a bit—a habit that seems as if it could eventually undermine his growing connection with Josie if it continues. Multiple scenes insinuate that Liam may still need alcohol to cope with his past and the hard emotions that follow.

Josie, for her part, pops open a beer with Liam; she also drinks wine which she says makes her feel “tipsy.” And she mentions the possibility of drinking “too much champagne” in one scene.

Other characters drink beer and liquor at concerts and in various locations. Another one of Liam’s songs references smoking.

Other Negative Elements

As mentioned, Liam’s father is initially quite harsh with his son when Liam returns (though his dad does soften quite quickly).

Doris, Liam’s publicist, wants him to use his friend’s death manipulatively on social media. She tells him to take multiple photos of Mason’s “dead corpse” so that he can talk about it online, thus giving his fans a “real” window into his life.

This film, based on the novel by Heidi McLaughlin, tells the story of a man who is transformed by the power of forgiveness, fatherhood and undeserving love. It’s a story, as one character says, about “what you do after you mess up.”

This message is shared with Liam at one of his lowest points, when he’s been through the ringer and can’t seem to get his head above water. And how true the statement is, that it isn’t about how bad you’ve messed up, but rather what you do afterward.

The film illustrates why choosing to move forward is difficult. Namely, it requires forgiveness of yourself and those around you. But the story also shows us why that hard journey of redemption is worth it in the end. And along this same road, we find others who are likewise trying to make their way back home after bad decisions or amid difficult circumstances.

The film’s admirable emphasis on forgiveness and redemption, however, is told within the context of a sometimes raw story that doesn’t sugarcoat its protagonist’s flaws. Liam tends to douse his cares in alcohol—a habit it’s not completely clear he’s relinquished even after he turns his life with Josie and Billy around.

For that reason, this tender tale’s portrait of brokenness and emotional healing is more appropriate for older audiences than younger ones.

Kristin Smith

Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).

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Film Review: ‘Forever My Girl’

Call this schmaltzy romantic drama Nicholas Sparks Lite, and you won't be far off the mark.

By Joe Leydon

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“ Forever My Girl ” is a sweet but slight romantic drama that got lost on its way to the Hallmark Channel — or, more likely, was rebuffed by that channel’s gatekeepers for being, even by their standards, entirely too predictable — and wound up in theaters instead. It resembles nothing so much as a prosaic adaptation of a second-tier Nicholas Sparks novel, and doubtless will play best with audiences who think critics are much too harsh on movies that really are spawned by Sparks’ literary output.

As it turns out, writer-director Bethany Ashton Wolf based her script on a work by another novelist, Heidi McLaughlin, which may explain the lack of a third-act intrusion by the grim reaper. The prologue primes us to expect the worst of the protagonist, even before we actually meet him, by depicting what happened when he left his fiancée at the altar back in St. Augustine, La., to pursue his musical career. Flash forward eight years, and Liam Page ( Alex Roe ) has indeed achieved fame and fortune as a superstar country music singer-songwriter. And, yes, he has become every bit the spoiled and self-indulgent sybarite you might expect.

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Ah, but appearances can be deceiving: He still treasures the antiquated flip-top cellphone that contains a forlorn message left years earlier by Josie (Jessica Rothe of “Happy Death Day”), the woman he left behind. Of course, he never has answered that message. In fact, he’s refrained from contacting any of the folks back home — including his estranged father, Brian (John Benjamin Hickey), the local pastor — while single-mindedly stoking his stardom, entertaining millions, and partying hearty. When he receives word of a childhood friend’s death in an auto mishap, however, Liam impulsively takes a return trip to St. Augustine.

Popular on Variety

Once he’s there, it doesn’t take long for him to have an awkward encounter with Josie. (Specifically, she punches him in the gut after she spots him at the friend’s graveside service.) It takes only a bit longer for him to realize that Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), Josie’s precocious daughter, is the child he never knew he fathered.

Much of “Forever My Girl” is devoted to Liam’s eager if not desperate attempts to bond with Billy. Much to his delight, and Josie’s discomfort, she readily accepts him as her dad — but not before busting his chops. (“I said I wanted to meet him,” Billy tells her disapproving mom, “but I never said I’d go easy on him.”) This budding relationship probably would be more engaging if Fortson weren’t encouraged so often to come across as a mouthy brat, and if the movie as a whole didn’t proceed at such a glacial pace.

Writer-director Wolf takes far too long to introduce any sort of impediment to the forging of a father-daughter connection and, inevitably, the formation of a nuclear family. Worse, when that impediment finally does arrive, in the form of a childhood trauma revealed with almost comical abruptness, the plot twist feels exactly like what is, an arbitrary contrivance introduced only to briefly delay happily-ever-aftering.

Wolf might have done better to expand upon some potentially interesting plot elements — such as the response of the other townspeople to Liam’s years-ago departure, and the musical career of Liam’s late mom — that are fleetingly referenced, then immediately forgotten.

The movie benefits from moments of mildly amusing comic relief, especially when the usually pampered Liam must cope with such complexities as signing a digital credit card receipt or ordering merchandise online. Roe and Rothe are blandly sincere as the romantic leads, but Peter Cambor gets a few good laughs as Liam’s repeatedly infuriated but ultimately supportive manager, a character who sporadically reminds the audience that, yes, there are real-world country music superstars. At one point, he gazes at his cellphone and exclaims: “Oh, crap! It’s Blake Shelton! I gotta take this!” And so he does.

Travis Tritt, Little Big Town, Josh Turner and, briefly, Miranda Lambert are among the country stars who can be heard on the soundtrack. And to give him fair credit, Roe is credible as a country singer when he performs some of the original tunes written or co-written by veteran tunesmith Brett Boyett. He may not be ready for the Grand Ole Opry, but he probably wouldn’t get booed off the stage on open mic night at Nashville’s Bluebird Café.

Reviewed online, Houston, Jan. 17, 2018. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 108 MIN.

• Production: A Roadside Attractions release, presented in association with LD Entertainment, of an LD Entertainment production. Producers: Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Jennifer Monroe. Executive producers: Alison Semenza King, Nicole Stojkovich, Zach Tann.
• Crew: Director, writer: Bethany Ashton Wolf, based on the novel by Heidi McLaughlin. Camera (color): Duane Charles Manwiller. Editor: Priscilla Nedd-Friendly. Music: Brett Boyett.
• With: Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, Abby Ryder Fortson, Peter Cambor, John Benjamin Hickey, Stephen T. Riggs, Gillian Vigman

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Forever My Girl is barely a love story, but it wants you to swoon anyway

At the beginning of Forever My Girl , Liam Page (Alex Roe) leaves his hometown fiancée, Josie (Jessica Rothe), at the altar. Liam isn’t seen during this sequence; he’s first revealed years later as a massive country star playing arenas, transparently singing about pining for his ex. For a moment, there’s something funny and even thought-provoking about this movie and the straight line it draws (intentionally or not) between the succinct ruining of a postcard-perfect little church wedding and the transformation of that pain into a crowd-pleasing spectacle—especially when it ends with Liam parlaying his success into sex with a groupie.

It’s not a surprise that Forever My Girl doesn’t choose to continue down this path, exploring the cynical side of a country-rocker’s down-home connection to his audience. The surprise is how little else takes its place. Liam, who embodies music-industry debauchery as imagined by someone who doesn’t like imagining debauchery, is at peak popularity but emotionally hollowed out. Luckily, his best friend from high school (glimpsed in the wedding scene) dies off-camera and brings him back to St. Augustine, Louisiana for the funeral.

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That may sound like a glib simplification of a sad event, but it’s barely more so than the movie itself. The plot kills off one of its only black characters (and weirdly sidelines his widow) in order to cause what amounts to a mild inconvenience en route to its white leads’ potential lifetime of happiness. Liam’s trip back to St. Augustine introduces him to Josie’s daughter, Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), who he quickly realizes is the daughter he never knew he had (the idea that Josie might ever have shown romantic interest in anyone over the past eight years is not addressed even momentarily).

At this point, Forever My Girl has burned through about half of its story, and just keeps burning from there. Although Josie first greets him by socking him in the stomach, it takes approximately one montage for her to trust Liam again, and even less time for him to become a demonstrably good dad. What else happens in this movie? Who can say? It’s genuinely difficult to account for the time that adds up to a full 105 minutes.

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Forever My Girl looks and sounds like it could be this year’s Nicholas Sparks adaptation, but it’s adapted from the first book in a romance series by Heidi McLaughlin. This means that despite the plot-catalyst funeral, the grim specter of death doesn’t hover over the proceedings, which turns out to be a mixed blessing. The movie isn’t as off-the-charts shameless as Sparks, but it lacks the Russian roulette death-guessing game to occupy viewers who get bored.

Good romance novels can compensate for a thin story with attention to characters’ interiority, but any thoughts or feelings roiling beneath Josie’s surface don’t seem to matter much. Rothe showed in Happy Death Day that she can play a greater emotional range than she’s given here, where she’s at her mild best shooting daggers at Liam with her eyes. Roe doesn’t fare any better with more material; he often looks uncertain about how to hold himself physically in any given scene. Liam has a momentary lapse in his newfound parenting skills that is so indifferently acted and poorly staged that it takes several more scenes to realize that choking on a hot dog has become a pivotal plot point.

Giving Liam the mildest of parental tests is part of the movie’s fetishization of redemption coupled with squeamishness over actually showing any bad behavior, which is why our hero’s big movie-opening tabloid scandal involves him sprinting barefoot to a cellphone store. Despite the attempts to depict his lifestyle as an empty mess, writer-director Bethany Ashton Wolf treats Liam’s wealth as a straight-up superpower, swooning uncritically at the promlike date it can buy for Josie (and like the 50 Shades series, it seems to consider a helicopter ride the ultimate aphrodisiac).

Wolf is a Louisiana native and obviously loves her location work, but not enough to imbue the writing or visuals with any life. This is the kind of movie that includes double-exposition dialogue: “There’s my little sister! You ready for your big brother to walk you down the aisle?” (Suggested follow-up line that must have been cut: “I can’t wait to see the look on your fiancé’s face when he sees you coming down that aisle to participate in a ceremony of marriage, if all goes according to plan!”) It’s the kind of movie in which a child’s adorableness is supposed to be predicated on how much of a li’l bitty adult they can act like (Fortson sounds like she’s been tutored by a young Dakota Fanning). It’s the kind of movie that looks like a love story and sounds like a love story, but is mostly about how lucky a girl can get when her ex’s best friend suffers a well-timed death.

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Forever My Girl Reviews

It's a Hallmark movie by way of Harlequin that features nice looking people falling back in love but it's the best non-Nicholas Sparks/Nicholas Sparks movie to come along in a while.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 28, 2021

There's only so much that an audience can be expected to endure . . . and threading the needle with a piece of frayed denim just doesn't give the support that's needed.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Jul 23, 2020

Inevitable, wholly predictable, and utterly dull

Full Review | May 27, 2020

This was trying to be an earnest, Christian Hallmark movie, but it was boring and bad and didn't really work.

Full Review | May 15, 2020

A forgettable movie.

Every character in the movie acts like a brainwashed zombie just dying to let this clown walk all over them.

Full Review | Original Score: .5/5 | Mar 21, 2019

It's not a movie I can recommend but I've seen worse.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 26, 2019

Despite a familiar story, this romantic drama has its charms.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/4 | Nov 19, 2018

While undoubtedly a romance, Forever My Girl is also a story of forgiveness, grief, and family. It's a success of its genre.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 26, 2018

This good natured film feels like an episode of Nashville mixed with an episode of Friday Night Lights, two television shows I happen to enjoy, in spite of their soapiness.

Full Review | Aug 21, 2018

Real people don't act or talk like any of the characters in this artificial, hot-steaming pile of garbage.

Full Review | Original Score: F | Aug 14, 2018

Country Music, Drama, Romance, Redemption

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 29, 2018

Roe tries for tortured angst, but his character comes off as an unlikeable lump, while young Fortson is saddled with college-age dialogue and the kind of twee precocity that moviemakers seem to think is so cute. And the music isn't all that hot either.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 26, 2018

The movie is so drained of character, Louisiana even seems to have lost its humidity.

Full Review | Jan 25, 2018

Forever My Girl does more to please than disappoint.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Jan 25, 2018

A passionless romance about a couple that it's almost impossible to root for.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 24, 2018

There is more pleasure to be had in the dwindling returns of CMT's Nashville than in this country soap-opera.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jan 20, 2018

Something just felt off for most of the film and that prevented it from working for me. (Full Content Review for Parents - Sexual Content, etc. - also Available)

Full Review | Jan 19, 2018

The execution just kills Forever My Girl. Wolf's film wants to be ponderous and thoughtful, but too often drags and just feels mopey.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jan 19, 2018

There hasn't been a Nicholas Sparks adaptation on the screen in two years now, but Forever My Girl is the next best/worst thing, arriving just early enough that if you see it right away, you may get the taste out of your mouth before Valentine's Day.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 19, 2018

Forever My Girl Review

At some point, most of us have walked away from at least one thing that we wish we could go back to. It could be a family member, a friend, a job, or love, but there's likely one dark spot in everyone's past. That's an idea addressed by Bethany Ashton Wolf's Forever My Girl , and while the adaptation of Heidi McLaughlin's novel highlights an interesting idea about time and regret, the film mostly boils down to a run-of-the-mill, Nicholas Sparks -esque love story set in a picturesque town.

Liam Page (Alex Roe) is a country music star at the top of his game and on top of the world. He can have any woman he wants, and his life is a non-stop party, but alas, there's something broken inside of him that keeps him from achieving happiness. However, upon learning that one of his best friends from childhood has died in a car accident, Page returns to the small Louisiana town that he left behind, and faces Josie (Jessica Rothe) -- the woman that he left at the altar eight years earlier. As he slowly reintegrates himself into the community that he abandoned, he discovers that he left far more than just Josie behind when he learns that his ex-fiancée has a 7-year-old daughter named Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson).

At its core, Forever My Girl basically tells a City Mouse/Country Mouse story. Liam is a big-shot country music star with all of the money in the world, but he's seemingly hopeless actually going to the store and buying things for himself. Josie is the opposite; she's tough and emotionally mature, but doesn't have much of a worldview that extends beyond her city limits. If it sounds cliché, that's because it is, and the film adheres to that idea by mostly sticking to fun montages that skirt around the harder questions posed by the movie's premise. As a result, Forever My Girl jumps around a lot, and some major character beats -- particularly for Liam's father (John Benjamin Hickey) -- happen off-screen to maintain the film's approachable and sweet tone.

That character issue becomes worse because neither of the leads is really given much to do. Jessica Rothe and Alex Roe have both proven themselves as talented actors in recent years, but in Forever My Girl they're not given much to work with. They look good together, but the film implies some serious emotional baggage that it doesn't seem interested in exploring. Both Liam and Josie have clear emotional issues that have persisted since he left her on their wedding day almost a decade ago, but the film seems content to merely suggest that a love-conquers-all mentality will be enough. No further questions asked, and few see fit to call out the fact that Liam's return might not actually be good for Josie, a capable single mother with a thriving small business and an active social life.

It's frustrating to point that type of issue out in a review because Forever My Girl either intentionally or unintentionally sidesteps all of the sources of real drama in Liam and Josies' lives in favor of rekindling a sentimental romance. Remember, Liam returns because one of his best friends dies, and an unexpected death is an even bigger loss than usual in a small town where everyone knows each other. Moreover, there are people aside from Josie and Liam's father in this community who have every right to hate Liam, but most of those issues get swept under the rug by the first act break. We get small glimpses and nods to this community grief and anger throughout the movie, but little to none of it bleeds over to our central story. Instead, the film seems content to tell a story about two beautiful people falling back in love with minimal conflict or protest on either side.

The best thing to say about Forever My Girl is that it looks good. There's an infectious, folksy sensibility to the story, and if you're already a country fan, then it will feel like one of your favorite songs has come to life. Even with that emphasis on southern charm, however, Forever My Girl still leans far too aggressively into the sweetness to tell its story. Between storytelling clichés like a sassy, fast-talking little girl who's wise beyond her years (Billy even quotes car accident statistics for a laugh), to the hordes of groupies who run after Liam on the street as if he's The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night , it's all just lighthearted fun based on tropes and ideas that we have seen before.

For some, this overly-saccharine and generally harmless sensibility might work. In a world where dark and brooding stories seem to reign supreme, it's appealing to find a movie where things pretty much go completely right for our heroes. If you're one of those people who can't hold back the waterworks for a soppy love story, Forever My Girl might be right for you.

Sweet and dull to a fault, Forever My Girl forgoes interesting characters or story in favor of a picturesque southern tableau. It's pretty, but there's not much else there. There is a reason why Lifetime movies exist, and Forever My Girl very much offers up that similar sense of safe, down-home fun. In that regard, Forever My Girl can provide some surface level entertainment, but that doesn't change the fact that it still reads like a lower-tier Nicholas Sparks adaptation. At a certain point, you would just be better off throwing The Notebook into your Blu-ray player for the umpteenth time.

Originally from Connecticut, Conner grew up in San Diego and graduated from Chapman University in 2014. He now lives in Los Angeles working in and around the entertainment industry and can mostly be found binging horror movies and chugging coffee.

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‘Forever My Girl’ Film Review: This Southern Romance Is a Country Crock

Will a Nashville superstar rekindle his love for his high-school sweetheart when he discovers they have an adorable child? Three guesses.

An international superstar and tabloid target returns to his picturesque hometown, where he encounters the long-estranged high-school sweetheart who despises him before finding herself back in his arms. If this basic plot scenario sounds familiar, it’s because “Forever My Girl” is one ice-carving contest away from being a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie.

That’s not even fair to the Hallmark movies, which would have at least given the female lead something of a personality and a plot arc; this movie’s all about the celebrity and his emotional journey, while the woman stands around like a prize waiting to be won, the Blessed Hometown Honey.

It’s a surprise, then, that the writer-director of “Forever My Girl” is a woman, Bethany Ashton Wolf (“Little Chenier”), whose main accomplishment here is making a movie that seems like a faith-based story (the country singer is a preacher’s kid) but isn’t (alcohol is casually consumed, Jesus is barely mentioned).

Eight years ago, Liam Page (Alex Roe, “The 5th Wave”) bolted from the small town of St. Augustine, Louisiana, ditching his fiancée Josie (Jessica Rothe, “Happy Death Day”) at the altar to pursue his dreams of fame. Now he’s packing arenas and turning up on the cover of supermarket magazines — the art department does a terrible job mocking up fake versions of People and Us — and completely miserable.

When he learns that a childhood friend has died in a car accident, Liam walks out on his tour to go home for the funeral, where he’s forced to face not only Josie but also his disapproving father Brian (John Benjamin Hickey). It’s not long before Liam encounters Josie’s seven-year-old daughter Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson, “Ant-Man”); doing the math, both Liam and Billy figure out what’s up — he had no idea Josie was pregnant when he walked out — and the two begin tentatively forging a father-daughter relationship.

Even a casual Hallmark viewer will track this story through every predictable beat, from Josie allowing Liam to sweep her off her feet to the revelation of past secrets that conveniently explain Liam’s bad behavior to the moment where it looks like all will be lost. (There’s even a dead rose garden that’s brought back to life, lest anyone miss the metaphor.) Movies like this are about the journey rather than the destination, yes, but as road trips home go, this one’s a slog.

Roe has matinee-idol looks — he comes off like a lab-splicing experiment involving Joshua Jackson, Jason Priestley and a set of eight-pack abs — and the British-born actor nails the Louisiana accent well enough, but he’s never convincing as either the love of Josie’s life or the kind of music dynamo who can enrapture thousands of people from the stage. It certainly doesn’t help that the movie can’t decide whether or not Liam has a substance-abuse problem.

Meanwhile, both Rothe and Forston give it their all for a script that lets both down; Josie comes off as something of a non-entity while Billy says the sort of adorably precocious bon mots that only happen in bad screenplays.

Cinematographer Duane Manwiller (“The Walking Dead”) bathes the small town in a golden light, but the camera isn’t always where it needs to be: when Liam and Josie first reunite, she gives him a well-deserved punch in the stomach, but it’s shot from behind Liam, and at a bit of a distance, which diminishes the moment.

Even Liam’s country hits are fairly forgettable, although “Forever My Girl” does throw in a Travis Tritt cameo so that fans of the genre don’t go home completely empty-handed. Aficionados of Nicholas Sparks movies may swoon over this film’s distressed T-shirts and kudzu-choked back roads, but lovers of love stories deserve much better.

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Country corn abounds in 'Forever My Girl'

• Critic's rating: 2 out of 5 stars

“Forever My Girl” is a bad movie, pure and simple.

And pure and simple is just how writer and director Bethany Ashton Wolf likes it. You think bad country music is riddled with clichés? That’s nothing compared to this predictable exercise in feel-good hokum, about a country singer who gains great fame while losing his small-town roots. It plays like a cross between a bland romantic comedy and a hillbilly “Hard Day’s Night.”

Liam Page (Alex Roe, British but sporting a country accent) is from a small Louisiana town that he left behind — on his wedding day, with Josie (Jessica Rothe) at the altar — to pursue his career as a musician.

He succeeded in that, at least. At the beginning of the film he’s performing before an adoring throng at the Superdome in nearby New Orleans. When he steps off stage he asks his manager, Sam (Peter Cambor) if he saw the blonde in the front row?

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Already on it, Sam tells him. She’s in the car on the way to the after-party. But Liam’s not interested. He just wants to head back to his hotel room with the woman, a bottle of vodka and a steak. Because while he’s outwardly successful, you see, inside he’s miserable.

The woman is so enthralled that she calls Liam by his full name the whole time, and jumps up and down on his ancient cellphone, which leads to a scene in which he runs to the nearest phone store barefoot with a gaggle of women and media chasing after him — seriously — to have it repaired. Because there is a VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE on the phone.

While he’s still in New Orleans an old friend gets killed, so he sneaks off for the funeral, whereupon Josie punches him in the stomach. The minister (fine character actor John Benjamin Hickey) isn’t happy to see him either. And he’s his dad.

There’s more to it than resentment and heartbreak. What Liam didn’t know is that Josie was pregnant when they were about to marry. Thus the introduction of Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), the daughter Liam never knew he had.

“You’re that country star my momma listens to sometimes,” Billy says, by way of introduction. A-ha! A glimmer of hope, perhaps! But don’t sell Josie short. She’s spunky, which we know by the gut punch and the fact that she hides beer in the flower refrigerator at the florist shop she owns.

Maybe this is the wake-up call Liam needs. Maybe he can rekindle something with Josie, or be a good dad to Billy. Maybe he’s going to realize that all the riches in the world are no substitute for family and friends. Maybe if he’d ever been to a movie before he’d know all that beforehand.

Everybody tries real hard — Roe learned to sing — and the intentions are good. Fortson’s a lot of fun. Rothe can be, as in the surprisingly good “Happy Death Day.” But here they’re all stuck in an unoriginal story that glosses over every surface.

“This is movin’ way too fast,” Josie says at one point, to which you want to yell, “No, no, it’s not moving fast enough!” Let’s get the life lessons out of the way and move on.

Reach Goodykoontz at [email protected]. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk.

'Forever My Girl,' 2  stars

Director: Bethany Ashton Wolf.

Cast: Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, John Benjamin Hickey.

Rating: PG for thematic elements including drinking and for language.

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

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Forever My Girl

Reviewed by: Jonathan Rodriguez CONTRIBUTOR

TRUE LOVE —What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

What is LOVE , for a follower of Christ? Answer

What is SEXUAL IMMORALITY? Answer

SEXUAL LUST —Why does God strongly warn us about it? Answer

PURITY —Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

TEMPTATIONS —How can I deal with temptations? Answer

How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer

Forgiveness of wrongs done to you by others

The power of forgiveness

Giving mercy and love when it is undeserved

The importance of true repentance

The negative effects of becoming famous—a celebrity

“Find your way back home”

“F orever My Girl” tells the story of Liam Page (Alex Roe), an overnight country-music sensation who left his bride-to-be Josie (Jessica Rothe) at the altar on their wedding day. He hit the road on a concert tour and never looked back, leaving Josie, his father, and the rest of his small Louisiana hometown behind. After hearing about the death of a lifelong friend, Liam returns home for the funeral and is met by a town not the least bit excited to see their superstar prodigal son return home.

When he runs into Josie, he is surprised to learn that she has a 7-year-old daughter named Billy (Abby Ryder Fortson), who, he realizes by the timeline, would have to have been born shortly after he skipped town. Discovering that he is a father rocks his world, and forces him to figure out what’s most important and worth pursuing, and forces Josie to decide whether or not to let Liam back into their lives.

The movie is rated PG for “thematic elements including drinking, and for language.” The language is mostly minimal. During the chorus of the first song Liam plays at his concert, the crowd shouts back “h*ll yeah!” “Shoot” and “flippin” are used a few times as substitutes for words that would have changed the rating to PG-13.

When Liam disappears from the public eye, his publicist spins the story so that everyone thinks he’s in a sex rehab facility. When Liam tells her that he vanished to go to a friend’s funeral, she encourages him to take selfies everywhere, including with the corpse and when he’s in the shower (“Take one topless. Bottomless. I don’t care.”). And, in perhaps the most bizarre moment of the movie, a character refers to the paparazzi as “pap smears.” I’m not sure I’ve heard that in a movie before.

Because “Forever My Girl” is aimed at younger audiences, the drinking elements might bother some parents a little bit more. The first song we hear him sing features the line “don’t water down my whiskey,” and a few more that we hear reference it as well. But, whiskey isn’t really his drink of choice, as he has a glass of vodka waiting for him after each show.

Following the first show, he expresses zero desire to go to an after-party, and instead asks for a bottle of vodka and a steak to be sent to his hotel room… along with a pretty fan of his that he noticed while singing. He wakes up hungover the next morning with the woman, and the one-night-stand, while not seen, is clearly implied. Later we see him alone, dropping empty beer cans off the roof of his hotel, while surrounded by numerous empty beer bottles. When he arrives home, he immediately rides his bike to the grocery store to buy a bottle of wine, puts it in a paper bag, and continues riding around town. He also gets drunk again, and we learn that he decided to punch one of the mirrors at the bar.

To put it simply, Liam is an alcoholic. And yet this movie, and the characters that inhabit it, never once address that fact. It’s never glamorized, but it isn’t confronted either. It’s rather peculiar. Liam’s manager and publicist both enable it, and his friends and family don’t bring it up. As the movie unfolds, we learn more about what makes Liam tick, and the perceptive viewer can infer the cause of his alcoholism. But when the drinking suddenly stops, we are left to assume he just sort of cured himself.

As abrupt as Liam’s sobriety is, so equally is the change in attitude toward Liam by the people closest to him. Everyone in the town has something to say to Liam, and seem to have no trouble speaking their minds. We understand the pain Josie feels, and don’t blame her for keeping her distance at times, or for letting him take the brunt of her feelings at other times.

Liam’s father, who is the pastor of the town church, greets Liam coldly, and lashes out at him after Liam asks why his dad never told him about his daughter. We understand why his father is hurt and harboring bitterness. It makes perfect sense. But then, the very next day, Liam’s dad preaches a sermon about the importance of forgiveness (while having not addressed this with his son), and EVERYONE is suddenly okay with Liam.

Well, Josie’s brother makes it known he is not cool with Liam being back, and while we clearly see where he’s coming from, his character is far too brooding and borderline-villainous to win any sympathy. But, the change of heart by the rest of the townspeople is so immediate, it cheapens the feelings the movie previously gave the characters.

But, forgiveness is a major theme in the film, and it’s an important one in our lives. Whether it’s receiving the forgiveness ChrSist offered on the cross, being able to forgive ourselves, or extending forgiveness to those who have hurt us, the power of forgiveness to heal a person’s heart is a remarkable thing. And this movie, despite its flaws, illustrates how true forgiveness can lead to redemption. Liam’s daughter forgives and begins to accept him in an innocent way that only children really can, but it begins to open Liam up to understanding the importance of facing his mistakes and receiving the forgiveness being offered.

“Forever My Girl” is an odd movie, though. The acting isn’t all that good, the chemistry pretty non-existent, the screenplay not particularly believable, the alcoholism strangely glossed over, and the country music not in any way memorable. If you’ve seen the trailers, you know exactly how the movie will play out. And yet, the message underneath all of that manages to make “Forever My Girl” more palatable than it has any business being. The decent-sized crowd in the theater all seemed to enjoy it—perhaps because it has more heart than competence and is less objectionable than most current films. But, that’s not the worst thing you could say about a movie.

• Violence: Mild
• Profane language: Mild—“Oh my G*d” (3), “For the love of God,” “Good Lord,” “ hell ”
• Vulgar/Crude language: Minor—“cr*p” (2), “flippin”
• Nudity: None
• Sex: Mild to Moderate

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Forever My Girl (2018)

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