‘PURE COUNTRY 2: THE GIFT’ (2010)

Although I’m not a country music fan through and through, this title did sound quite sweet. Additionally, Pure Country 2: The Gift sounded like it would rely on spiritual matters as a means of inspiration.

Pure Country 2: The Gift (2010) Film Review

Without parents to do the job, young Bobbie is raised by her “aunt” Ella. Growing up singing her entire life, Bobbie (Katrina Elam) has a big Southern voice she hopes will take her places. She packs up when the expectation of a proposal from her boyfriend doesn’t pan out. Once she arrives in Nashville, Bobbi finds it nothing as she expects, but is nonetheless determined. Eventually, she finds a connection which leads to a new contract, and overnight her personal song is a sensation.

It’s no coincidence then when she meets her ideal man in rodeo cowboy Dale (Travis Fimmel) plus she earns an opening act spot with George Strait. It would seem all of Bobbi’s girlhood dreams are about to come true…

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‘PURE COUNTRY 2: THE GIFT’ (2010). Review of the follow up to the 1992 film with George Strait. #CountryMusic #Movies #MovieArchives Click To Tweet

Seeing this didn’t result from having seen the 1992 counterpart, but rather, a promo spot. For years now, music means something to me. Primarily, my choice of genre has been light Christian pop but over the last few years, I have made tracks in country music. Seeing the film show more of the process behind the “glitz and glamour” is interesting. Instead of the surface acts, it’s far more entertaining to see such a focus on the behind-the-scenes work; music video shoots, studio recording and the like.

Since the budget for the movie probably didn’t measure that of a feature film, there are some situations where the movie is quite obviously struggling to have a bigger, more picturesque set. The movie opens, supposedly, in a Heaven like reality. This instantly puts us on the defense, assuming that the entire movie will suffer from sappy dialogue and a goofy set. Thankfully these scenes don’t linger, and the rest of the movie shines. Bobbie is played by a recording artist who I am unfamiliar with, and Katrina’s voice is fabulous. She also does well in her first acting role; she plays Bobbie with the right mix of raw talent and innocence. The supporting cast is mainly unknown, but are all appropriate in these roles. George Strait makes a couple of appearances, although this time as himself.

Perhaps what I enjoy most about the production is that the script doesn’t turn Bobbie into a hideous celebrity without time for anyone. It’s a refreshing change compared to most in this genre. Dove is well-known for their little symbols on titles that receive their “okay” for family viewing. I don’t know how it compares with its predecessor but this is pretty clean movie. Filmed on location in Nashville, director Christopher Cain does a nice job of capturing a charming, sweet story. This one has a pureness of heart that makes the film endearing.

Content: during a bull-riding competition, the rider sustains injuries – the camera is careful about filming. A character enters the picture who readily admits to be a drunk [he normally has a beer in his hand] and gets into a couple tussles [he is punched]. Implications are minor about Bobbie’s parents but we do assume she resulted in an out-of-wedlock relationship. Profanity is rare but may include a h*ll or da*n. Bobbie grows up with three basic moral rules; don’t lie, never be unfair or break a promise, all of which she eventually does. The film is PG.