MY OWN LOVE SONG

Despite all of its well-meaning earnestness, My Own Love Song ends up being as forgettable as some random strangers in a bar.

Road movies are such a tried and true genre, that it becomes harder to stand out on the lonesome (yet crowded) road. My Own Love Song ably goes down the checklist of the genre. You've got an unconventional lead with an Issue—in this case her name is Jane, and she is in a wheelchair. Renée Zellweger plays Jane as a wounded soul with spirit and arms adorned with pretty cool tattoos. Jane used to be a bar singer but was in a car accident. Now she drinks alone, and looks accepting and resigned when men flee at the site of her wheeled chair.

Then you've got Jane's quirky sidekick-slash-best friend Joey, played by Forest Whitaker, who makes damaged and sad Jane totally look like the straight man (Joey talks to ghosts and tends to flip out quite easily). After Joey trashes Jane's already trashed house in a fit, they decide to take a road trip to Louisiana, seemingly on a whim. But it is revealed that Joey has ulterior motives. He has hidden a letter from Jane's estranged 10-year old son who has invited her to his confirmation.

As in any road movie, the leads encounter quirky characters along the way. Of course there is a charming thief (Elias Koteas) who steals their car. Then there is the slightly unhinged young woman (Madeline Zima) who is like a black-hole of character development, yet still manages to be a pseudo-love-interest for Joey. And then there is the kind of scary guy who turns out to be a nice guy even if he has perhaps sold his soul to the devil (Nick Nolte, who HAS to have it somewhere in his contract that no one can touch his crazy hair).

Along the way, the characters depend on the kindness of strangers, they learn a little bit about themselves and each other, and have a hallucinatory drug trip after eating special cake in a barn. They tend repeatedly have all of their belongings and money stolen (except for Joey's guitar and Jane's wheelchair), but always manage to get onto public transportation and eat out with only occasional issues. And after a movie-full of pressure, Jane does end up getting to sing a couple of songs, and to her credit, I have to admit that Renée Zellweger's interpretation of "This Land is Your Land" turned the song into something completely new for me. The plot of the movie goes from Point A to Point B quite seamlessly (despite attempting to throw in typical twists), and never leaves the audience in doubt that there will be resolution for Jane and Joey.

Despite all of its well-meaning earnestness, and despite the best efforts of a talented cast (and a soundtrack by Bob Dylan), My Own Love Song ends up being as forgettable as some random strangers in a bar. These characters may hold your interest for a short conversation, or a round of drinks, but as soon as you walk out the door, they are out of sight, out of mind.