The Client List (Lifetime Television)
Jennifer Love Hewitt has been on my radar since she appeared in the TV series Party of Five. Her next series The Ghost Whisperer didn't hold much attraction for me, but her new Lifetime movie The Client List caught my eye. Having watched the film I have to say it is a vehicle worthy of her talent and her beauty.
In the film, which is based on a true story, Hewitt plays Samantha Horton. She is a married mother of three. Most of her life she has sailed by on her looks and is ill prepared when she and her husband Rex (Teddy Sears) face a financial calamity. Rex has injured his knee and can't get a construction job and Samantha can't find anything that pays a decent wage.
In desperation she takes a job at a "massage parlor." Quickly she learns that massages are not the main order of business. Still, she stays on, resolving to quit when she gets her finances straightened out. Meanwhile her husband and her mother Cassie (Cybil Shepherd) seem ignorant of how much money she is earning.
Hewitt looks amazing in this film. You can easily see why Samantha would have so much success in her new profession. The actress also shows a range of talent as her character goes through desperation, hope and grief. The movie is all about Samantha so Hewitt is the "star" of the show.
There are flaws in the film to be sure. The gullibility of the husband and mother is one of them. There is also a chopped off ending that doesn't have the emotional impact a story of this nature should have. Sears and Shepherd add very little to the enjoyment of the film. They are just there to propel the story along at various times.
So whether or not you will enjoy the movie depends on how much you enjoy Jennifer Love Hewitt. Chances are you are going to leave this movie a bigger fan than you were before. As Executive Producer and star of the film, Hewitt throws herself into her role as Samantha and she is successful in her efforts.
The film is a little racy in the dialogue department so this is not a "family film." Still there is no nudity and the sexual situations are kept at a fairly tame level.
For an entertaining look at a true story that takes place in Texas (why do these stories always come out of Texas?) tune in to The Client List. Jennifer Love Hewitt makes it worth your time.
The Client List premieres on the Lifetime Channel, July 19 at 8PM.