Tyler Hynes Fuels His Best Hallmark Romance Yet In Shifting Gears

Once again, Hallmark breaks the traditional formula with its latest film, "Shifting Gears," continuing to create movies with unique settings and stories. The plot concerns Jess Barro (Katherine Barrell, "Wynonna Earp"), an auto mechanic who ends up bumping into her ex, Luke Childs (Tyler Hynes, "Three Wise Men and a Baby"). Things didn't end so well for them in the past because Luke's grandfather wanted his dad Steven Childs (Andrew Jackson, "All My Children") and Jess' father, Ray Barro (James Burke, "Unforgettable Christmas"), to become business partners. 

However, Steven wanted to cut Ray out and Luke knew about it but didn't say anything. This tore the couple apart, but now that Ray's garage called Barro's Auto Repair is in danger of folding because of a rent hike, Jess reluctantly participates in a car restoration contest show called "American High Gear," where the winner takes away $50k.

As icing on the cake, Luke had already joined the show as a contestant, and that fuels Jess' desire to not only outdo him in the show, but also win the money to save the family business. Hynes – who gushed about Hallmark fans to Us Weekly in 2023 when he said, "I can't tell you enough about the human beings who watch these movies and how kind, lovely, wholesome and earnest and authentic they are" — shines with a winning performance here.

At the onset of "Shifting Gears," we meet Hallmark veteran Tyler Hynes' character Luke Childs who is dressed in business attire and riding a motorcycle. He happens upon a young man who's work truck has broken down, so he rolls up his sleeves and helps the hapless guy. When the young trucker off-handedly mentions that Luke doesn't look like a mechanic, he remarks that he "doesn't want to be suffocated behind a desk" and would rather fix cars, and we can't help but like him. 

When we meet Jess Barro, who is more focused on cars than men, we see that the theme of the film is not centered around dating drama, but the personal lives of these two wayward mechanics. Hynes and Katherine Barrell clearly have on-screen chemistry, and his laid back demeanor helps bring truth to Luke's earnestness. Jess immediately sets up emotional walls, chiding him whenever she gets a chance, and you're rooting for Luke to break those walls down. 

The film is clearly trying to reach a wider audience. In an industry that's been traditionally run by males, it illustrates to female viewers that auto mechanics is something they could work at as well. And the car angle will appeal to male viewers, while the overall mechanical lingo is presented sporadically so as not to overwhelm those who may not be interested in such things.

In Hallmark's "Shifting Gears," Ray Galletti ("Flipping for Christmas") plays Wayne Laroche, the host of a popular fictional reality series called "Road Renegades," who never forgot that Jess Barro once fixed his 1966 turquoise GTO. Praising her skill in restoring automobiles, he invites her to participate in "American High Gear." Tyler Hynes sheds Luke's business clothing, keeping his attire simple when restoring cars on the show, and his playful rivalry  with Jess adds spice to it. But when she learns that he knows his father is up to something, that doesn't bode well for them.

Obviously, things will work out for them, but the journey is what's important here. Well acted and well directed, the film moves at a nice pace and is thoroughly engaging as we wonder how the characters are going to succeed. Jess feels she needs to work harder to compete as a mechanic, but with Luke, she doesn't have to do that. They're equals in auto knowledge and skill, and fun to watch together.

This is the fourth film by Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe who has an acting career that spans back to 1997. Her eye for well-composed shots makes every detail in every scene seem important, and we're looking to see more from her. A fun journey and a nice dive into the world of automobiles, "Shifting Gears" is a must see — and when you're done, don't forget to check out even more of Tyler Hynes' Hallmark hits to binge-watch!