Faith isn't always about what happens inside a church. Sometimes, it’s about what happens when your expensive, curated life in New York City evaporates in a single afternoon and you’re forced to crawl back to the North Carolina dirt you spent a decade trying to scrub off your boots. That’s the messy, quiet reality of the Heart of the Country movie, a 2013 release that didn't exactly shatter box office records but found a permanent home on the DVD shelves of people who value sincerity over spectacle.
It’s a prodigal son story, but with a woman at the center. Jana Kramer, known more for One Tree Hill and her country music career than her indie film credits, plays Faith Carraday. Faith is the girl who "made it." She married a wealthy businessman, lives the high-society life, and basically forgot that her father exists back on a rural farm. Then the FBI shows up. Her husband is arrested for a massive Ponzi scheme—think Bernie Madoff vibes—and suddenly, her assets are frozen and her "friends" are nowhere to be found.
She goes home. Not because she wants to, but because she has nowhere else to go.
The Uncomfortable Truth About the Heart of the Country Movie
Most films about returning to your roots are sugary. They’re filled with montage sequences of people baking pies and laughing in golden-hour lighting. This movie handles it a bit differently. It’s actually kinda bleak at first. Faith has to face a father, played by Gerald McRaney, who she basically abandoned. McRaney is a powerhouse here. He doesn't give her a hug and a warm meal immediately. He gives her a look that says, "I knew this was coming."
The film was directed by Peter Lively and based on the novel by Rene Gutteridge. What’s interesting about the production is how it leans into the "faith-based" genre without being a sermon. It’s produced by 20th Century Fox’s home entertainment wing, which at the time was looking for movies that appealed to the "flyover states"—the people who felt ignored by Hollywood’s obsession with cynical anti-heroes.
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It feels real. The porch swings aren't props; they look weathered. The dialogue isn't polished to a mirror sheen. When Faith’s husband, Luke (played by Randy Wayne), is in prison, the movie doesn't make him a mustache-twirling villain. He’s just a man who made a catastrophic mistake because of greed, and the film asks a really difficult question: Does a marriage vows cover federal crimes and social ruin?
Why the Story Matters in 2026
You might wonder why anyone is still talking about a small-budget drama from over a decade ago. Honestly, it's because the "crash" depicted in the Heart of the Country movie feels more relevant now than it did in 2013. We live in an era of curated Instagram lives and influencers who could lose everything with one algorithm change or one legal scandal. Faith Carraday was the original "de-influenced" protagonist.
Her journey isn't just about moving from the city to the country. It’s about the death of an ego. She has to work a regular job. She has to face the sister she left behind who did all the hard work of caring for their aging father while Faith was at galas in Manhattan. The tension between the two sisters is probably the most honest part of the whole script. It’s that simmering resentment that only siblings can truly perfect.
Cast and Crew Details
- Director: Peter Lively
- Lead Actress: Jana Kramer (Faith Carraday)
- Supporting Cast: Gerald McRaney (Calvin), Randy Wayne (Luke), Shaun Sipos (Lee)
- Genre: Drama / Romance / Faith-based
- Runtime: 90 minutes
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
If you’re expecting a neat bow where everyone gets their money back and moves into a bigger house, you haven’t watched it. The movie explores the concept of grace in a way that’s actually pretty challenging. Grace isn't just being nice. It’s about choosing to stay when every logical instinct tells you to run.
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The romance element with Lee (played by Shaun Sipos) adds a layer of "what if," but the core of the film remains the relationship between Faith and her dad. Calvin (McRaney) represents the "Heart of the Country" mentioned in the title. He is the anchor. He’s the person who reminds her that your value isn't tied to your bank account or your husband’s reputation. It’s a message that resonates deeply with rural audiences, which is why the film maintains a solid 6+ rating on IMDb and continues to rotate through streaming platforms like Amazon Prime and Tubi.
People often mistake this for a Hallmark movie. It’s not. Hallmark is about fantasy; this is about recovery. Recovery is ugly. It involves crying in a parked car and realizing you’ve been a selfish person for ten years.
Technical Flaws and Authenticity
Is it a perfect film? No. Some of the pacing in the middle act drags, and the budget constraints show in some of the New York sequences, which clearly weren't filmed in the heart of Manhattan. But the cinematography in North Carolina? Stunning. They captured the humidity. You can almost feel the mosquitoes and the heavy evening air.
Jana Kramer’s performance is surprisingly layered. At the time, she was primarily seen as a singer, but she carries the weight of Faith’s shame well. She doesn't try to be likable in the first thirty minutes, which is a brave choice for an actress in this genre. You’re supposed to be a little annoyed by her. You’re supposed to think she’s entitled. That way, when the transformation happens, it actually feels earned.
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The soundtrack, naturally, leans into country roots. It uses music not just as background noise but as a narrative bridge. Since Kramer is a singer, the film utilizes that "small-town girl with a voice" trope, but it doesn't overplay its hand.
How to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re planning to sit down with the Heart of the Country movie, watch it for the nuances in the father-daughter dynamic. Pay attention to Gerald McRaney's silences. He says more with a squint than most actors do with a three-page monologue.
The film is widely available on:
- Digital Rental: Amazon, Apple TV, and Vudu.
- Streaming: It frequently pops up on Up Faith & Family or Pure Flix.
- Physical Media: You can still find the DVD at Walmart or secondhand on eBay for a few bucks.
If you are going through a transition in your own life—maybe a job loss or a breakup—this movie hits a lot harder. It’s a "comfort watch" that doesn't treat you like an idiot. It acknowledges that life is hard and that sometimes you have to lose everything to figure out who you actually are.
Actionable Insights for Viewers
To get the most out of the experience, approach the film as a character study rather than a fast-paced plot. Notice how the color palette changes from the cold, blue-tinted scenes in the city to the warm, amber hues of the farm. This visual storytelling helps reinforce the theme of "coming home" to yourself. If you’re a fan of movies like The Ultimate Gift or Sweet Home Alabama (but with a more serious tone), this is a solid weekend watch. Check the credits for the song "Hope" performed by Jana Kramer—it's the emotional heartbeat of the final act. For those interested in the source material, the book by Rene Gutteridge offers a bit more internal monologue regarding Faith's spiritual journey that didn't make it into the 90-minute runtime.