Ashley Judd plays a single woman in her small Wise County community, who’s facing big changes in her life. While there is a sprinkling of “characters” populating the titular Virginia town (most notably a big floozy Jenna Elfman and stereotypically sassy Whoppi Goldberg), this is basically a romance between Judd and the always dreamy Patrick Wilson. There’s a fun energy that keeps the film moving, but it’s trying too hard to capture the sweet, quirky charms of a small Southern town. Adriana Trigiani adapted her novel into the screenplay and directed, but any appeal that the book may offer is rendered rather bland and even corny. (Look for local actor Joe Inscoe.)
(3 / 5)