Katherine Heigl Plays Country Crooner in American Heartland Musical ‘Jackie & Ryan’

Sandra Miska

For those who would prefer to spend their Fourth of July in an air-conditioned theater, be sure to check out “Jackie & Ryan,” a romantic indie that takes place in our country’s heartland.  “Jackie & Ryan” opens July 3 and will be showing at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 in Beverly Hills.

“Jackie & Ryan” stars former “Grey’s Anatomy” actress Katherine Heigl as Jackie Laurel, a single mother and former country star who is facing a nasty divorce and an ugly custody battle for her daughter Lia (Emily Alyn Lynd). Hard times have forced Jackie to uproot her daughter from New York to Ogden, Utah and move in with her mother Miriam (Sheryl Lee).

Ryan Brenner (Ben Barnes) is a homeless street musician on his way to Portland when he crosses paths with Jackie. After an initial missed connection, they are brought together after an accident.  Jackie invites Ryan over for dinner, despite misgivings from Miriam.  Both being at crossroads in their lives, Jackie and Ryan form a bond, and dinner turns into his spending several nights at Miriam’s.

Rounding out the cast of “Jackie & Ryan” is Clea DuVall as Virginia, the wife of Ryan’s former musical collaborator.  Ryan stops in at his friend’s home in Ogden only to learn from Virginia that her husband has gone wandering.

Since this is a film about musicians, “Jackie & Ryan” will include plenty of musical numbers, 24 to be exact, including covers of folk standards, as well as original songs by Ryan (actually the film’s composer Nick Hans).

“Jackie & Ryan” is the third feature from British director Ami Canaan Mann, daughter of Michael Mann.  She previously helmed the crime film “Texas Killing Fields.”

For a Brit, Mann has a strong affinity for Middle America.  According to The Nerd Element, she originally planned to shoot “Jackie & Ryan” in Indiana, but changed her mind after she saw how gorgeous Utah is.

“I wanted to make sure visually there was infinite vast amount of space, beautiful skies and long roads that go on forever,” Mann explained.  “Cinematically it was important, [as] Ryan is on the rooftop looking over the horizon thinking about where he was going next.”

“Jackie & Ryan”  opens in select theaters and VOD July 3.