Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Micitype Pretty Good

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

childers-3 Saw this last night on one of the pay channels and I thought Tom Hiddleston was wonderful. I'm not a fan of Hank Williams, but I am of Hiddleston and I thought he did a good job. There wasn't much character development and I wasn't given a chance to really care about his struggles. There was no chemistry at all between Olsen and Hiddleston. I've seen both of these people in better movies. In the hands of the right person, this could have been really good. It might have been better as a limited mini-series. It seemed rushed and his struggles, personally and professionally, were glossed over. Williams was only 29 when he died. That's incredibly young - he hadn't even reached his prime! Imagine what he would have done had he taken better care of himself. But then again, that may be why he was such a soulful singer.

zkonedog When I see a film like "I Saw The Light", it reminds me of how fine the line is between being "great" and being "just okay". This film has great acting, wonderful song numbers, and tells a dramatic story…all things that it's "spiritual" successor "Walk The Line" does. However, there is one key difference (that makes all the difference): That earlier Johnny Cash flick had a lot of heart. This Hank Williams biopic? Not so much.For a basic plot summary, "I Saw The Light" tells the story of Hank Williams (Tom Hiddleston), the mega-popular but also severely troubled country music superstar. The film begins with his rushed, low-key marriage to Audrey (Elizabeth Olsen), then chronicles his rise to stardom in line with the promiscuity and alcoholism that defined his personal life.The problem that holds back "I Saw The Light" is simple to identify, yet tough to disseminate: it lacks that "spark", or heart, that previous biopics on other topics have provided. I think the primary culprit in this case is that it doesn't include much of a personal narrative for any of the featured characters. It's about as "straight" of a biopic as one will ever see, not providing any "editorializing" (for lack of a better word) on Hank or his life. Simply put, there is no backstory given, so how can we ever really feel for the events on screen without that context?Fortunately, the acting in this film is terrific…every bit as good as "Walk The Line", to be completely honest. Hiddleston captures the awkward skinny-ness of Hank's physical presence, while Olsen often steals the show as Audrey. Usually, acting like this can propel a film to great heights, but (as previously mentioned) there just isn't enough meaty material to create the kind of dramatic tension needed to make that happen.The musical numbers are a treat, as Hiddleston does a remarkable job of mimicking Hank's unique sound. I like it when films like this let the actor cover the songs…so long as the performance isn't totally butchered. Hiddleston shines in that regard.Overall, though, the lack of drama/energy in "I Saw The Light" ultimately doom it to its 3-star rating. It's a bit sad, as all the other components are firmly in place, but it just lacks that dramatic narrative that needs to drive any biopic. A film like this can't just "portray real life" (as where is the spectacle in that?). It has to tell its own story, and that is where "I Saw The Light" fell short.

Mark Turner I've been a fan of Hank Williams since I was a little boy. One of the first LPs I ever owned was a collection of songs performed by Williams from 1965 that I still have to this day. When the Williams biopic YOU'RE CHEATIN' HEART aired on TV I was glued to the set. As I grew up I moved on to rock music but that LP remained in my collection though not listened to quite as often. Thus when new movies about Williams arrive I am still interested. I SAW THE LIGHT is perhaps the best representation of the man and his music as I've seen.Tom Hiddleston, Loki in the recent Marvel hero movies, stars as Williams going from the early start of his career to his first marriage to wife Audrey (Elizabeth Olsen) to his death in 1953 at age 29. Though his time here was short Williams led a colorful life that was cut short by his alcohol abuse as well as the tempestuous nature of his romantic inclinations. Much of that is touched on here but never to the point of exhausting these items. Instead the movie moves at a methodic pace that some will find slow and others will appreciate rather than the usual flash bang boom most biopics offer. The times were different then and so was the world of country music.Shown beginning at a small station with a weekly program Hank dreams of the day he can play at the Grand Ole Opry, the pinnacle for country music stars. Hank meets and falls in love with Audrey but his influential mother builds a barrier between the pair, even after they marry. Audrey has dreams of her own as a performer but her talent is far less than her desire. This among other things drives a wedge between the couple.As Hank's star begins to rise so too does the constant touring that it engenders. With Audrey at home tending to their just started family Hank does what many touring stars do. He imbibes far too much and finds himself with a different woman each night. Couple that with the already deep wedge between the two and his mother's influence and a parting of the ways seems inevitable. But even then there remained a love between these two.The damage done and the chosen lifestyle of Williams as a touring musician influenced not just his life but the songs he wrote as well. The pain of loss, the demons faced with his addictions all found their way into his music. All of that is shown here in subtext that helps propel the movie forward.What makes the movie work for me is that the usual histrionics shown in movies like this isn't done. We don't see long drawn out moments of rage between the two main characters. They happen but not nearly as often as the conversational moments when the pain caused and felt by Williams is there for us to see. This felt more like real life than the tantrums one has come to associate with biopics dealing with the topic of adultery and addiction.What makes the movie more memorable than anything is the stand out performance of Hiddleston as Williams. From the involuntary ticks on display as he performs, the rhythmic movement of foot from side to side, to the way he holds his guitar make for a complete immersion into the role. That he actually sang the vocals on each track only adds to the depth of his performance. While I will always remember George Hamilton as Williams in YOU'RE CHEATIN' HEART it will be Hiddleston I come to consider when I next listen to Williams perform.The movie only got a slight nudge when it was released rather than a huge push. Because of that it never got the attention that it deserved. One can only hope that changes when Oscar time comes around. Hiddleston was that good in this role. If not then at least we can all enjoy the film when we want to pop it into the DVD player from time to time. If you haven't seen this one look for it. It will be a wise investment of your time. And it may even make you dig out that scratched old vinyl LP to listen to once again.

Lori Sloan I really wanted to like this movie... I wanted it to be a huge breakout solo hit for Tom Hiddleston, but it just wasn't that great. The writing seemed a bit cheesy and it took a while to get moving and that didn't happen until pretty far in, about the time his back problem was finally explained. From there on out, his drinking becomes obvious, but there is still too much left unmentioned about his marriage and what lead him to such destructive behavior. Hank Williams has been gone for a long time... I think we needed more of a reminder about who he was and what he went through. The music is great... there is talent in the film and you can tell that Tom Hiddleston put a lot of work into it, but it just doesn't come together. I guess in the end there was just too much left unexplained.