Libby Moran lost her husband Danny, who perished in a tragic auto accident. Now, she has lost the family home in Houston and has packed up her two young children, Abby and Tank, to take a trip down memory lane. She travels to the farm of her Aunt Jen at Atwater, where she will not only be returning to her roots, but will be reclaiming her past.

The filmmakers hit all the right notes in a heartwarming and endearing experience with some beautiful photography of the farm and countryside. In a romantic subplot, Libby links up with the ol' farm hand, James "Gentleman Jim" O'Connor. Gentleman Jim has his own personal melodrama to deal with in caring for his ex-wife Erin, who suffered a debilitating stroke. One of the best scenes in the film is when Libby and James are locked up together in a refrigerated cheese storage room for five hours. And one of the best lines is when Gentleman Jim describes a college education today as "a racket."

The film included an interesting set of characters, including Aunt Jen's boyfriend Russ, a conservative country lawyer whose political views clash with those of the liberal "hippie" Jen. His granddaughter, Sunshine, works in the local feed store after her attempt to make it in the music business in L.A. ended in failure. The filmmakers missed an opportunity to showcase Sunshine's voice in a party that took place in a local watering hole.

My favorite character was Aunt Jen, due to her sensitivity. She welcomes her niece and kids into her home and eventually reveals family secrets about Libby's upbringing that occurred when she was abandoned by her flighty mother, Marsha. Libby discovers clues to her past in the abandoned "Halloween House" nearby. The dilapidated colonial manor will figure prominently in the new life that Libby is carving out for herself and her children.

In connecting with her past, Libby makes strides in coping with her grief. She also discovers human values that were absent in the time spent with her birth mother. "The Lost Husband" offers perspectives on the traditional theme of life in the city versus the country. It also stresses the role of family in shaping a human life. It also reveals how people lead lives of quiet desperation that they are able to transcend through love, kindness, and resilience.

There's a good movie to be made here with this storyline, but this isn't it.

What is essentially a sorrowful drama has all the dramatic edges smoothed away with a Hallmark touch.

It feels like it has half a dozen scenes missing that could've helped me feel more for the characters.

The acting is a little off the mark. The 2 leads struggle with their characters, both lacking nuance in their role.

This kind of movie has been done before in Hope Floats and most Nicholas Sparks novels and could have worked with a defter hand on the tiller.

Although not portrayed as a soap opera it does fit the bill even with the dramatic secrets revealed.