Neely (Chelsea Altman) is a struggling stage actress in Manhattan. Even though all of her acting teachers proclaim her talent, she doesn't get many gigs. Fortunately, her chef boyfriend, Tonio (Demian Bichir) is patient enough to wait for her big break, although he longs for them to reside in his homeland of Mexico. One day, after a heartbreaking audition, Neely puts up a white flag and tells Tonio to start packing for Guadelahara. But, just as they are to board a taxi to the airport, a treasured friend tells her of a soap job that is casting that afternoon. So, off Neely goes, in glasses and grubs. But, unknown to her, the leading actress on the show, Heartbreak Hospital, is Sunday (Diane Venora) and she doesn't want any competition in the looks department. Thus, Neely gets the job after spouting only a few lines. Oh, but Sunday hasn't seen her spiffed up! When Neely has her hair in place, contacts in and dresses in nice outfits, she's a looker and may be in line to snag the leading man's heart! He's Milo (John Shea) and he places the beefcake doctor on the serial. However, he already has another, too-fervent admirer, Lottie (Patricia Clarkson) who just happens to be Neely's neighbor. Having built an apartment "altar" to Dr. Jonathan, wait until she finds out that Neely will be kissing her dream physician! Green eyes will be flashing and, maybe, more. This is a nice little take on shows like General Hospital and also that roll-of-the-dice profession, acting. Luck seems to be the biggest factor indeed. Venora does a nice turn as a narcissistic small screen star, as does Shea. Meanwhile, Altman and the great-looking Bichir provide a nice foil of reality. Clarkson, a fine actress, plays a one-tone character as well as she can. No, the sets, costumes, and other film amenities are nothing to write home about while the script and direction are average contributions. However, if you adore romantic comedy and have scads of time, Heartbreak Hospital might do for a couple of hours.
