The Neon Highway, a lovely little gem of a film that opens in limited release March 15, tugs at our heartstrings. Or at least it did mine. Anyone who loves country music like I do should also enjoy this film starring Beau Bridges as a fading country legend and Rob Mayes as an aspiring singer/songwriter. It’s directed by William Wages, who co=wrote the script with Phillip Rob Bellury.
Neon Highway Plot Synopsis: Twenty years ago, Wayne (Mayes) was about to hit it big in Nashville. Then a car crash ended his musical career dreams. Struggling to support his family, Wayne now works for the Georgia telephone company. On a service call to a rundown rural house, he meets washed-up country music star Claude Allen (Bridges).
His chance encounter with Claude reignites Wayne’s dreams, and he persuades the fallen star to travel to Nashville with him to help pitch one of Wayne’s songs. Surely with Wayne’s numerous contacts and his fame in the industry, they can make a deal with a record company. Times have changed, though; and as doors keep closing they realize nobody wants to work with Claude again. Apparently he burned too many bridges on his way to the top, and a lot of folks hold grudges. With Claude’s health in decline, tech savvy Wayne finds a way to get the old star’s version of his song heard by people everywhere, without the help of a record producer.
The friendship forged between the old musician and his protégé is the beating heart of this sweet film, with some toe-tapping country music an added bonus. The title tune, “The Neon Highway” was written by Dallas Davidson and performed by Lee Brice.
Along with Bridges and Mayes, the cast includes Sam Hennings as Ray, TJ Power as Lloyd Collins, Lee Brice as Lamont Johnson, and country star Pam Tillis as herself. Jennifer Bowles is Ginny Collins, with Sandra Lee Thomas as Pepper, Wilbur T. Fitzgerald as Buck Bates, Brett Gentile as Elton, and Ezekiel Bridges as Bob.
The Neon Highway was filmed in Georgia, and is distributed by Mountain Movies. The film opens in a limited release March 15 in select cities, including Dallas. It’s rated PG-13, and is produced by Stratton Leopold and Lori Berlanga with executive producers William Wages, Phillip Rob Bellury, and Craig Miller.
