I SAW THE LIGHT (2016)

Marc Abraham’s film from his own screenplay based on HANK WILLIAMS: The Biography by Colin Escott, George Merritt & William MacEwen is a film that details the tragic and drug addicted life of country singer Hank Williams. This is the second retelling of this story, the first being YOUR CHEATIN’ HEART with George Hamilton in 1964. I thought it could have been better paced in places but by and large it owes its success to Tom Hiddleston’s fine performance and singing, all of which he did himself. This is not a particularly uplifting story, since Hank had a chronic back problem that caused him to become addicted to pain medication and alcohol which ultimately led to his untimely death at the age of twenty nine. His persistent womanizing caused his first wife to leave him and created much stress in future relationships and his second marriage. Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones, Bradley Whitford, Maddie Hansen and Wrenn Schmidt are good in the supporting roles but by and large I wasn’t overly impressed with this film.