I'm not sure why I requested this title from Netflix. It had been on my list of movies for a year or two, maybe I got it mixed up with a different one, not sure. Anyway I like Billy Zane, he always does a good job, and he comes through here. But the premise is pretty silly and most of the situations and dialog are pretty silly.
Anyway, Billy Zane is George Putter, the youngest in a very long like of Putters who established the quaint Canadian town in the 1800s. It happened to be on a February 29th, so "Founder's Day" is celebrated every 4 years, only on leap years.
A storm comes, lightning strikes, and in an instant the three remaining elder Putters are gone. One of the relatives was the town tax inspector, so a new one is sent in, a pretty lady. But Putterville has been hiding a serious secret ... no one and no business has paid any tax for the past 50 years. Now they were in danger of being exposed by this new tax inspector, owing lots of back taxes and maybe some jail time.
So it is up to young George, who would rather be in his art workshop making sculptures, to save Putterville. A plan is hatched to have him romance the new lady and get her attention off the books, which they are trying to hide.
A pertinent side story has a wealthy investor in town to buy them up and bring in "modern" businesses. When he finds out about the tax situation he tries to use that as leverage. Oh, and by the way, some of the old, deceased Putters show up to give George advice, only seen and heard by George.
SPOILERS: In examining an old note he thinks to look at an old portrait salvaged from a fire years earlier, brushing off the soot reads something. It turns out that the governor of the region had signed a document making Putterville a religious community, and all the residents Putterites, and thus exempt from taxes. Plus George gets the lady.
Anyway, Billy Zane is George Putter, the youngest in a very long like of Putters who established the quaint Canadian town in the 1800s. It happened to be on a February 29th, so "Founder's Day" is celebrated every 4 years, only on leap years.
A storm comes, lightning strikes, and in an instant the three remaining elder Putters are gone. One of the relatives was the town tax inspector, so a new one is sent in, a pretty lady. But Putterville has been hiding a serious secret ... no one and no business has paid any tax for the past 50 years. Now they were in danger of being exposed by this new tax inspector, owing lots of back taxes and maybe some jail time.
So it is up to young George, who would rather be in his art workshop making sculptures, to save Putterville. A plan is hatched to have him romance the new lady and get her attention off the books, which they are trying to hide.
A pertinent side story has a wealthy investor in town to buy them up and bring in "modern" businesses. When he finds out about the tax situation he tries to use that as leverage. Oh, and by the way, some of the old, deceased Putters show up to give George advice, only seen and heard by George.
SPOILERS: In examining an old note he thinks to look at an old portrait salvaged from a fire years earlier, brushing off the soot reads something. It turns out that the governor of the region had signed a document making Putterville a religious community, and all the residents Putterites, and thus exempt from taxes. Plus George gets the lady.