Hope’s Legacy – Enjoyable Family Film
Director: Douglas D Maddox
Writer: Douglas B Maddox, Simon K Parker (Screenplay)
Starring: Dyan Cannon, Taylor Lyons, Allen Williamson, Ken Arnold, Jodi Dawson
Plot: Sometimes hope is all you need, but sometimes it can be hard to find. Faced with the death of her beloved grandmother, Lizzie now focuses on the farm, her horses and three day eventing. With her upcoming marriage to James threatened and challenged by a beautiful girl from James’s past, Lizzy must learn to stand on her own two feet but with Legacy by her side she can do it. It’s a competitive world but she’s determined to make it work in ‘Hope’s Legacy’. Lizzie will need to conquer her bullies and overcome 3 competitions including, show jumping, cross country and dressage with her young horse, Legacy. Her manger, is by her side all the way but her past catches up with her and Lizzie. Lizzie needs to make a choice to stop it all or go for the gold.
Tagline – Sometimes hope is all you need, but sometimes it can be hard to find.
Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Hope’s Legacy starts when Lizzy Evans (Lyons) loses her grandmother, leaving Lizzy the ranch including the horses, Hope and Legacy, Lizzy isn’t sure whether she can handle it, but with her boyfriend James (Williamson) support, she takes on the ranch, with Linda (Cannon) coming into to help including train her in dressage.
Lizzy’s life takes another turn when James proposes to her with both their family’s not always supporting this decision and the skilled rider Bethany (Reed) looking down on Lizzy taking part.
Thoughts on Hope’s Legacy
Characters & Performances – Lizzy has just finished college and now her life is moving so fast, first getting the ranch from her late grandmother, secondly getting engaged, third getting back into horse riding and finally dealing with trying to fit into the world created, seeing people warn her about the decisions she is looking to make. Taylor Lyons shows us all the uncertainty her character must go through during the film, needing to show us the biggest emotions she must go through. Linda is an old friend of Lizzy’s grandmother, show has returned and offered to help Lizzy on the ranch, she does have a secret about her life, one that Lizzy could help with, as she looks to create a chance for her own granddaughter. Dyan Cannon brings the wise character to the film well through the film. James is the boyfriend of Lizzy that looks to support her through her difficult time, proposing to her along the way. Allen Williamson does well to be the support character Lizzy needs through the film.
Story – The story here follows a young lady that gets left a ranch and is left with plenty of big life decisions at a young age, with loved ones around her to support her prepare for life, earlier than she was prepared for. This is a story that will focus on the idea that life can come at young people fast, it is a sequel that picks up on Lizzy’s life after college, when she was looking to start and now she is given a chance to work in her passion. It shows that sometimes somebody can be left in a position of not knowing everything going on in their own life can make them feel insecure.
Themes – Hope’s Legacy uses a lot of family based themes, showing us that family can always be there for each other through the difficult times, with most of the film set in and around the ranch, showing the beauty of the countryside around people.
Final Thoughts – Hope’s Legacy Enjoyable family drama, that shows the importance of having people around you in the most difficult part of your life.