I Saw The Light
Highlights:
I SAW THE LIGHT tells the story of the iconic, tormented singer-songwriter Hank Williams who revolutionized country music with his raw charisma, haunting voice and original songs, most of which are considered American standards today and have been recorded many times over by pop, rock and country artists alike.
Director:
Marc Abraham
Cast:
Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones, Maddie Hasson, Wrenn Schmidt
Screenplay:
Marc Abraham
Screening Date:
Mar 19, 2016
Studio:
Sony Pictures Classics
Running Time:
123 minutes
| Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4% | 26.8% | 22.0% | 36.6% | 12.2% |
“Remarkable if perhaps overlong look at Hank Williams. Wish there was more about him as an artist and less about his love life. If tragedy and pain made him a better performer we never saw the connection.”
“A very earnest look at a musical icon. Great performances by all concerned except perhaps the screenwriter/director. Incidents occur without reason or meaning and seemingly without repercussion. None of it adds up to a complelling or insightful depiction of that icon.”
“The bio details were manipulated to carry the theme and all the troublesome details of his life. When did he see the light? It was worthwhile for the music and the sadness of the life of celebrities.”
“Kind of missed the mark. Surprised at how many words to Country songs I knew.”
“I enjoyed the music, the performances were great and I learned a lot about Hank Williams. Thank you!”
“Wonderful music but the film could use a big pair of scissors. Audrey could rival ‘MARGUERITE’ with her voice!”
“Boring and redundant and I hate that music.”
“The film missed an opportunity to tell a good story. This was not engaging. The screenplay was weak and the direction was aimless. It would be impossible to recommend the film with any enthusiasm.”
“Boring! Did not create any interest in the people.”
“Tom Hiddleston was a revelation as Hank Williams and Elizabeth Olson brought lots of nuance to the part of Williams wife Audrey.”
“Too long.”
“There’s a great story here of a great and incredibly influential artist. But art is often built on passion and this is an emotional deadzone. Case in point: Williams tells his pregnant girlfriend he’ll take care of the child but he doesn’t love her ‘in that way.’ The scene is shot from one boring camera angle, no one gets terribly upset. In fact no one moves – not the characters or the camera or for that matter – the movie itself.”
“Boring! No character development. No glimpse into his muse. No insight into what motivated him as an artist or as a man. It would have been better if it were a concert movie instead of trying to concoct a story around a selfish, childish but talented man.”
“The music was great!
“Too long. Story wasn’t interesting. Lots of missing pieces.”
“Very good picture of someone who suffered for his art. I was unaware of his bio, quack doctor. Parallels other young dead artist like Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison.”
“Too long!”
“Hard to care, even though I lived for 2 years just below Shreveport.”
“Loved all the music and I enjoyed the film.”
“Wonderful music embedded in a boring biopic. A biography should provide details. A biopic should tell a story.”
“What a disappointment. This film was sterile, scrubbed and utterly devoid of passion. I felt no depth in any of the performances including the singing and no chemistry between any of the actors. Two thumbs down.”
“We’ve seen plenty of bio-pics this semester, and I liked this the best. Great performances, great production values of the 40’s and 50’s, and no film can explain or reveal everything about so famous and influential an artist.”
If you'd like to know more about the film...
This film features a unique casting choice in the choosing of Tom Hiddleston, an actor who is neither southern or from the United States. Reception to this desicion is likely going to be mixed but there has already been a reaction from a descendant of the late Hank Willaims. The article below gives some insight into how Hank Williams the third feels about Hiddleston's casting and the film itself.
http://www.contactmusic.com/hank-williams/news/hank-williams-grandson-sn...
Hank Williams is arguably one of the most famous musicians in the history of the United States, if not overall at least in terms of country music. He helped establish a unique sound and form a template for future musicians. While he was honored and recognized in his own time for his skill and impact that would not be the only time. In 2010 Hank Williams was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to music. The link below elaborates on why he was chosen to recieve the award.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/12/pulitzer.prize.winners/index...
I Saw The Light covers a fair amount of Hank Williams' life. However, upon viewing the film you may wish to learn a bit more about Hank Williams and how he gradually became an icon. Below is a biography which details his early life, his music career and his passing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L21JIk1v3Og
In the film Tom Hiddleston not only portrays Hank Williams but also sings his songs. If you would like to view an actual performace by Hank Williams you can view the video below. In this video he is performing Cold Cold Heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yCQraOX4Bw
