Tender Mercies (2002, DVD)

Time Magazine calls this movie, "Best American movie of the year." Apparently, 1983 was not a 'very good year' for American movies. In my estimation this one would qualify as a sleeper. Though written by Horton Foote who was outstanding as the creator of "Trip to Bountiful" his talent is not hallmarked by this production.

Its main character is Mac Sledge played by Robert Duvall. Duvall characteristically emerges as someone with untapped reservoirs of talent. He sings in the Waylan Jennings style as if he were Jennings himself. The other two main characters, Rosa Lee (Tess Harper) and her screen son, Sonny, portray their parts successfully.

To say there is no depth in this movie is probably an understatement. Though Duvall portrays a dimension of a man's pain of failure and divorce through a kind of masked depression and anger, the movie, otherwise lacks considerably. In my opinion it is not the acting, nor the script. I think the problem lies in the directing (by Bruce Beresford). All of the events within the movie are handled with a sluggish approach. Sledge's proposal, then marriage to Rosa which really doesn't happen except through Sledge's referral to her as his "wife" a few scenes later, is matter-of-fact. When his daughter is later killed in a car accident it is covered only by Sledge's coming to the funeral parlor. There is no particular emotion, nor accompanying music, to help the viewer feel remorse or pain or identify with the characters.

The band that appears suddenly to enlist Sledge to get back on track, who pedestals Sledge and his singing and song writing ability, are less than impressive. The director had opportunity to showcase their talent as well as Sledge's talent, or at least contrast the two, but failed to do so. Even over-music by them would have carried the story more effectively.

The story moves slow and deliberate and is somewhat fragmented from scene to scene. There is no sense of cohesiveness, no excitement, no progression of Sledge's re-entering the entertainment field. I get the feeling that there must have been a tiff going on behind the scenes that put a heavy cloud over this production. It needs to be re-made at some later date and maybe some air added to the tires.