Ticket 2 Ride

Unexpected (2023) is a small, independent film. Browsing the credits, the only name I recognized was that of Patricia Heaton, one of the film’s producers, who played Ray Romano’s wife on his successful sitcom.

I saw this film at the library a couple of times, sitting on the rack, waiting for someone to take a chance on it. Finally, I bit, needing a light film, so I grabbed it.

It’s the story of a young couple Bob & Amy, just married, who soon buy their first home (which needs a lot of work), and suddenly are told it is highly doubtful they can conceive a child. Yes, this is a lighthearted story, but it has some very emotional dramatic scenes. She’s open to adopting, but he isn’t. Instead, they adopt a rabbit, ducks and turkeys, with mixed results.

The film shifts gears when they hire a man named Rupert Murdoch (not that one) to rebuild their front porch, and fix a few things. Rupert seems to take a dislike to Bob, with cutting remarks underscoring his lack of manly skills around the house. Rupert is also embarrassed by his son, Gerard, who lacks drive and can’t do anything to please the old man. Gerard has a girlfriend, Shirlee, who seems irresponsible, but has a good heart. The film revolves around these five characters.

Amy is a nurse, who takes the news hard about the prospect of not being a parent. She’s moody and can suddenly throw herself into projects. Bob is also moody, he is not performing well at work, though he seems capable. He’s receiving mental health services and starts an antidepressant to help with his problem. Sounds like an uplifting Hallmark movie, yeah?

These characters could be dismissed as flaky, but there is something more to them. Each is being held back from being happy and their futures are intertwined. This is a film where the viewer just needs a little patience, as the struggles of these folks becomes clear, and they must work through some disappointments.

My expectations were low, since I didn’t know the actors and was only investing a little time. I could always turn it off and return it. This is a small budget film, but it is professionally done. David Hunt, who directed, is an actor who has branched into writing and directing. He is also married to Patricia Heaton. Hunt worked with the film’s writer, Rodney Patrick Vaccaro, on the TV series Versailles.

I’m tempted to tell you more about the film’s plot, but I’m not into spoiling it. Vaccaro and Hunt do something really interesting by jumping ahead in time to show what happens to these characters and how their lives touch, before returning to the present day. Ordinary, this device would be confusing, but it works.

This film might seem a hokey or sentimental, which I admit it was, but I liked it. The characters are quirky and some of the humor is a bit over the top. Films are to entertain and touch us if possible. This one did.