CMT’s Reel Love: The Highlights Reel

Now, CMT would have you believe that Holly is a savvy professional, but she's portrayed as fairly doofy: She doesn't get that her coworker-boyfriend doesn't want PDA at the office, and she crashes his car when she almost hits a Finding Nemo balloon in the middle of the road. But her shirt stays nice and crisp!

The irony here is that right after Reel Love mercifully ended, CMT ran a commercial for Sweet Home Alabama, the classic "big city girl returns to small town roots" movie.

In the days leading up to the movie's premiere, I assumed it had to do with Hollywood--that Holly was a failed actress, or maybe lost her guy to a gorgeous starlet.

Then I realized that the "reel" referred to fish. Ugh.

"Holly Jean Whitman? It's me, Mary Jo Calgrove. You don't remember me? I think we lost our virginity in the same week!"

Actual dialogue.

Holly's first meeting with Jay (Shawn Roberts) is mistaking his behind for that of her friend's husband. Can we pause for a sec and talk about how that in itself is kind of awkward, you talking about your friend's husband's ass? Regardless, Jay soon reveals himself, she's embarrassed, and so starts their contentious little relationship.

Even though (spoiler!) Holly decides to take some vacation and stay in town for a while, she does bring some of her big-city ways to change her friends and family. She serves her dad and brother cottage cheese and fruit, and she later lawyers it up keeping other towns from invading to fish for some giant bass.

Then the news crews decide to dub her "Erin Brockofish." This really happened!

Burt, you were hot way back when! You don't need to play a cranky fisherman on CMT.

There's some weird brief detour where Holly's all "I don't want my lawyer boyfriend and possible new boyfriend to trade me like baseball cards." Because she's a feminist, you guys.

Except that Jay and the lawyer were just setting straight the fact that Holly is dating said lawyer (which she never mentioned to Jay). I'd call that respectful.

Like I said, this "I can't trust you" moment was just a detour from the main action, which involved the fish fry, LeAnn Rimes wearing a fairly cute summer dress, and line dancing.

Something a movie never needs: For the main character to tell us exactly how everything ended. (Possible exception: Mean Girls.) Holly takes us through everyone's joy at catching the big fish, her first sexual encounter with Jay in a boat (of course), and her bonding with her dad... or as she says, "He finally found the one that got away--me."

That last line made us more a little uncomfortable.