Tender Mercies

"Tender Mercies" is a strong character study about a washed-up country singer (Robert Duvall, in his Oscar-winning role) who finds the will to live and makes the most of his life. After spending a drunken night at a small motel in Texas, he meets the woman (Tess Harper) who can change his life for the better. She owns the motel and after allowing Duvall to stay for a while by doing odd jobs, she marries him and he starts his transformation. Duvall still has songs to sing, but his heart is just not in it any more. His ex-wife has become a singing star, partly by using the songs that Duvall wrote himself. She has also kept their daughter away from him because she was afraid he might do something in a drunken rage. Duvall comes to terms with everything and shows that he is a changed man. He meets his now-grown daughter (Ellen Barkin) and realizes that everything that has happened has occurred for the right reason. However, tragedy will strike and Duvall will have to show how great a person he really is. "Tender Mercies" is a film that works due to quiet performances, subtle direction, and a smart screenplay. The film runs a crisp 89 minutes, but never feels rushed. Robert Duvall finally got the chance to showcase his acting ability and he does not disappoint. His performance is the greatest attribute here, but this does not mean that everything else is not impressive. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) is an alcoholic washed up country singer. He can't pay his motel bill and starts working for the widowed owner Rosa Lee (Tess Harper) who is raising her son Sonny. He turns his life around and they get marry. His new life is interrupted when a reporter drops by. His ex-wife Dixie Scott is a country music star and she's performing nearby. His story is printed in the newspaper. He goes to her concert and sees her manager Harry (Wilford Brimley). She angrily warns him not to see their daughter Sue Anne (Ellen Barkin).

It's a powerful performance from Robert Duvall. That's the heart of the movie. He puts all of his skills to work. He's great when he's quiet. He's explosive when he needs to be. The camera work and the style could do more to add more substance to the material. It's a great showcase for Duvall and Tess Harper also gives a good performance.

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.

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.

Something tells me that when it is all said and done, and people are trying to come up with that definitive "greatest actor of all-time" winner, it will be Robert Duval. I know that this is a bold statement. The Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Burt Lancaster, Paul Newman and Henry Fonda fans (among others) will scream and protest. Sure, it is subjective, but then again, maybe it is not. Sometimes there is supporting evidence out there, maybe because of one particular role. I think Robert Duval's performance in "Tender Mercies" is the greatest performance by an actor in the history of film. It is a subdued performance, but underneath, so powerful. Duval plays a washed up Country music singer and song writer named Mac Sledge. His better days are in the past. Now, he finds his only comfort in a whiskey bottle. His ex-wife has gone on to use his songs to become a huge star. She detests him because of the way he had become in his later years with her (alcohol). She even denies him the right to see their daughter. Mac has closed himself off to the world, he does not want to become emotionally attached to anybody or anything. The only time Mac was ever happy, bad things ended up as a result. However, Mac will soon come into contact with a widow and her young son and he gets a second chance to join the living. In this film you see a Duval character different from any other he has ever played. You see the rebirth of a spirit, long suffering. The supporting roles are incredible as well. I still find this one of the most emotionally satisfying movies ever made, every time I watch it.