Tender Mercies

I was happy to see this film once again when it aired last night on CMT. It's certainly worthy of a second look, as you take something new away from it each time. Even though this was filmed during the urban cowboy era of the early 80s, it doesn't seem dated in its subject matter. Country music fans can draw their own conclusions as to who inspired some of the characters. Robert Duvall's burnt-out drunk Mac Sledge surely borrowed from Lefty Frizzell. Mac's singing style is eerily close to Lefty's and he even performs one of his songs in the film. Betty Buckley's country queen Dixie Scott is reminiscent of Dottie West. Perhaps the writer based his story on George Jones and Tammy Wynette's bitter divorce, Jones' subsequent alcoholism and redemption, and Tammy's raising of their daughter. Whatever the case, it has a wonderful message about loss making us appreciate the good things we're given in life. The final song playing while Tess Harper watches her husband and son tossing a football says it best.

This is a great, great film. Robert Duvall richly deserved the Oscar he won for Best Actor, and Bruce Beresford's direction is quirky but consistently entertaining.

The most wonderful aspect of this movie is how the screenwriter (Horton Foote) doesn't let the characters engage in all the obvious, "Hollywood" histrionics that the plot would allow them to do. For example: when Mack (Duvall) finally meets his long-lost daughter late in the film, he doesn't run to her and embrace her with tears staining his face while music swells beneath the scene, as a hack director would have him do. Instead, he looks at his shoes, makes small talk, and acts embarrassed. Why? Because, consistently throughout the film, he doesn't believe he deserves the good things that come his way.

This is the tale of a man who, in the absolute pit of despair and hopelessness, is saved by the love of a good woman and the love of God. You need to see it.

This moving and thought-provoking film is a timeless classic of redemption and perseverance.Robert Duvall totally captures the pain, heartache, despair and ultimate survival of a once beloved entertainer.The film is an emotional tour-de-force for all the main characters, as they deal with forgiveness, doubt, loss of faith and memories of what might have been .......

The direction, screenplay, music and cinematography are all top-notch and add to the realistic feel of the film.

In a career that has seen a number of great performances, this quiet, unassuming Duvall film will leave you inspired as well as thoughtful. In this film , we see our own lives reflected in this small town saga. Maybe that is why I found the movie so deeply entertaining. It appeals to the lost dreams and missed opportunities in our own lives.

Horton Foote won an Oscar for his original screenplay about a drunken ex-country singer/songwriter finding personal strength and redemption after marrying a young widow who runs a hotel and gas station with her little boy. The spare Texas landscapes, busy roads and bars, are vividly captured by director Bruce Beresford, who is aided greatly by a keen art direction from Jeannine Oppewall and solid performances by his cast. Robert Duvall received the Best Actor Oscar for what is arguably his greatest screen performance (he also did his own singing); using his expressive eyes and body language to wonderful effect, Duvall conveys the self-consciousness and shyness of this complicated man, the demons he's now able to shuck off and the betrayals of life he blames on himself. As his new wife, Tess Harper has never been better, and young Allan Hubbard is inquisitive without being the slightest bit precocious. Betty Buckley's role as Duvall's "rich and famous" ex-wife doesn't really work (her scenes are presented in shorthand, as are the film's opening moments). Ellen Barkin seems a bit mature cast as Duvall's estranged teenage daughter, however the beautiful work by Duvall and Harper anchors the film is an emotional reality which stays with you. Nice music direction and songs as well, adding to the challenging simplicity of the story, which runs deeper than might be expected. *** from ****

While some may consider the movie a little slow at times, its overall message is a powerful one. A movie about redemption, restoration and hope. Robert Duvall's portrayal of a man whose life is in need of repair is outstanding. Ranks with his character in "The Apostle", a similar tale in many ways. In my opinion, the baptismal scene is one of the movie's most moving moments. The bleak landscapes and the dust-blown scenes effectively echo the main character's state of mind for part of the film. Mac Sledge is a great character brought to life by Duvall. As Sledge gradually gets his life together thanks to the developing relationships with a young widow and her son, the mood of the movie becomes a little more positive.