The music industry!  It’s murder!

And if you have any doubt about whether or not that statement is true, just consider the recent Lifetime film, Murder In Music City.

Jimmy Stone (Ty Trumbo) is a handsome young singer/songwriter who is trying to make it big in Nashville.  When we first see him, he’s taking a shower because this is a movie that knows what its audience wants.  Jimmy then sits down and works on a song that he’s been writing about a woman named Stephanie.  It sounds …. well, actually it sounds terrible.  But it’s terrible in that way that gets stuck in your head, kind of like that “Take Me To Church” song by Hozier.  Hey, Jimmy might have a hit on his hands!  Unfortunately, Jimmy is then beaten death with a guitar.

Because Jimmy was a guest of country superstar Aiblene Tucker (Deena Dill), she is arrested for his murder.  Abilene’s estranged daughter, Caroline (Madison Crawford), comes to Nashville to try to prove that her mother is innocent.  Caroline’s investigation leads her to everyone from one of Abilene’s ex-husbands to the president of Abilene’s fan club.  It turns out that Abilene always had a lot of people around her and they all had a motive for killing Jimmy.  Working with Abilene is Jimmy’s brother, Kyle (Brigdon York).  Abilene starts to fall for Kyle but it turns out that Kyle has some secrets of his own.

This film features an unusual twist on the typical Lifetime plot by having someone get arrested for the murder about halfway through the film.  With the real murderer apparently in jail, Abilene is free to resume her life and prepare for her comeback special.  However, Caroline comes to suspect that perhaps the wrong person was arrested and that the real murderer is still out there.  It all leads to secrets being revealed and songs being sung.  There’s a lot of songs sung in this film.  Perhaps too many, to be absolutely honest.

Despite not being a country music fan, I have to say that I absolutely loved Murder In Music City.  It was a film that cheerfully embraced the melodrama and celebrated all the excess that went along with it.  It was the type of fun, “I don’t believe that just happened” film that used to dominate the Lifetime airwaves.  This is one of those films where you don’t really worry too much about narrative logic or whether or not all of the clues really add up.  Instead, you just enjoy the ride.  And it is a very enjoyable ride.  There’s nothing more fun that watching someone have to both solve a murder mystery and deal with an egocentric parent.

In the role of the self-absorbed Abilene, Deena Dill gives a wonderful performance.  She’s not going to let a little thing like being accused of murder get in the way of her lavish lifestyle and her upcoming show.  Deena Dill plays Abilene as a force of nature and she brings a lot of humor to the role.  Also giving a good performance is Madison Crawford, who is very likable and relatable as Caroline.  You can see how having a mother like Abilene has shaped her but you also see the inner strength that has allowed Caroline to build a life of her own.

A terrifically entertaining film, Murder In Music City is what Lifetime should be all about!