There’s a tradition of turning songs that tell a story into movies such as Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Ode to Billy Joe and The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia. So it’s not a surprise that Lauren Alaina’s “Road Less Traveled” song would be produced into a feature film. What is surprising is that Alaina would star in the film as Charlotte, a country singer returning to her roots. The former American Idol contestant keeps the Road Less Traveled from leading to a cliff.
Charlotte is in the middle of getting married when she returns to her hometown in Tennessee to get her mother’s wedding dress so she’ll be there in spirit when she takes her vows. Besides usual pressure of the impending date, her record label is riding her hard to get a hit single for her upcoming record. She’s about to burst when she runs into her old high school love (Divorce Texas Style‘s Donny Boaz). This makes her seriously doubt if she’s hooking up with the right guy back in her new life. She wants to change her life direction, but it is foolish to throw away what she’s built.
The weight of the film falls on Alaina and she pulls it off. She’s good at emoting the confusions and pressures placed on her by what should be a simple journey. There’s a bit of fun in getting to see Charlene Tilton (Dallas) not standing on the grounds of Southfork Ranch. Road Less Traveled plays well for viewers that like country music and complicated romances in simple settings.
The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The transfer brings out the country flavorings on the screen. The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 with the mix able to blend dialogue and musical moments seamlessly. There’s also a stereo mix. The movie is subtitled in English.
No bonus features.
Shout! Factory presents Road Less Traveled. Directed by: Blair Hayes. Screenplay by: Michael Shear, Samantha Shear. Starring: Charlene Tilton, Jason Burkey and Lauren Alaina. Running Time: 87 minutes. Rated: Not Rated. Released: September, 2017.
