Fairfield Road (2010)

A pleasant, harmless story in which a good-hearted young political campaigner abandons a faltering relationship to spend time in a small, friendly New England town where everyone knows everyone - and ends up finding everything he needs and wants there, and stays - and the town is glad to have him. Another satisfying tale in which the 'ordinary people' and conservation, come out on top, over 'development' and the interests of 'big business'. Just one very small point from the film - some scholars now think Christopher Columbus (name anglicized) was not 'Italian' (ie Genoese) at all, but was originally Catalan, hailing from Aragon in NE Spain.

I'd only seen Jesse Metcalfe in Desperate Housewives which didn't really flex his acting muscles, so I was a little wary of watching a film with him in the lead role. I was pleasantly surprised, he's a cracking actor and really rather wasted in lesser roles. He has bags of screen presence in this little film which is visually stunning in terms of scenery, certainly a great advert for the area. Someone already drew comparisons with the Capra-esque ideals of little man against the big corporation and this definitely has the charm and heart of a much older film. A sweet supporting cast of quirky characters make this a nice cosy watch for a Sunday afternoon.

Noah (Jesse Metcalfe) is experiencing a high point in his life. A recent aide to the mayor of Boston, he has just garnered his dream job as a senator's right hand man. Not only that, he has purchased a ring and plans to propose to his girlfriend at a lovely bed and breakfast on Cape Cod. But, alas, its soon a reversal of fortune. He finds out his fiancé has been cheating on him and his new boss-senator has been cheating everyone else. Unsure of what to do, Noah takes his dog and goes to the B and B in Hartfield, the tiny Cape town. Its lovely and the landlords are very kind to him. Planning only to stay the night and get his head back together, Noah soon learns that a hotshot developer is running for a town office that will give him carte blanche to bring big business to the village, ruining its character. Then, too, he glimpses the town's bookstore owner, Halley (Natalie Lisinska) and likes her beautiful face and active mind. Although the Boston mayor tries to pull Noah back into helping her, Noah may have found a new direction in aiding Hartfield's quest to stay unspoiled by big box stores. Will the high that went to low go back to high again, in Noah's life? What are the odds? This lovely Hallmark romance will be great viewing for fans of the genre. Although the cover of the DVD makes him look 14, Metcalfe is a very handsome charmer and the rest of the cast quite nice as well. Add on a beautiful coastal setting, great costumes, a winning script, and a sweet direction and, well, what are you waiting for love story fans? Walk or drive up the nearest road and grab this one wherever its available.

Jesse Metcalfe stars in Fairfield Road and revives the Frank Capra idea of the small town idealistic hero. Jimmy Stewart never did a better job with Bedford Falls than Jesse does in saving a small Massachusetts coastal town in this made for TV film.Things really go out from under Metcalfe as the film opens. He leaves his job working on the campaign of Maria Ricossa the Mayor of Boston and then a prospective job working for a US Senator blows up in his face. Adding insult to injury his engagement to his fiancé Natalie Brown also goes South when he finds her cheating on him.With wedding ring in hand he goes off to where they were going to spend their honeymoon, a small New England Cape Cod village at Derek McGrath's small inn. He's persuaded to stay both by the charm of the place and the bookstore owner Natalie Linska.Since politics is his bag, Metcalfe gets intrigued also by the current election for town supervisor. McGrath is a candidate, but he's a heavy underdog against Brandon Firla, one alpha male type developer who wants to build a strip mall there. The whole character of the town would be changed if that came to pass. And Firla is also a truly hateful being.Metcalfe's speech to the town at their meeting where they personally choose their supervisor is right out of Frank Capra. But that's something that never goes out of style. Need I tell you the result.Fairfield Road was a truly pleasant viewing experience. Jesse Metcalfe brought some of this same idealism into playing Christopher Ewing in the unfortunately canceled Dallas. I hope he does more roles of this type.Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart would be proud.