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Tender Mercies main poster

Tender Mercies

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6.7/10 • 143

1983-03-041h 32m

DramaMusicRomance

His struggle for fame was over. His fight for respect was just beginning.

Alchoholic former country singer Mac Sledge makes friends with a young widow and her son. The friendship enables him to find inspiration to resume his career.

Directors
Bruce Beresford
Editors
William M. Anderson

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Robert Duvall

    Robert Duvall

    Mac Sledge

  2. Tess Harper

    Tess Harper

    Rosa Lee

  3. Betty Buckley

    Betty Buckley

    Dixie

  4. Wilford Brimley

    Wilford Brimley

    Harry

  5. Ellen Barkin

    Ellen Barkin

    Sue Anne

  6. Allan Hubbard

    Allan Hubbard

    Sonny

  7. Lenny Von Dohlen

    Lenny Von Dohlen

    Robert

  8. Paul Gleason

    Paul Gleason

    Reporter

  9. Michael Crabtree

    Michael Crabtree

    Lewis Menefee

Reviews1

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Wuchak Avatar

Wuchak

Jul 21, 2024

7/10

A broken-down Country musician seeks a new life in Texas A single mother (Tess Harper) runs a motel & gas station in the lonely plains between Dallas and Austin. She hires an alcoholic man who couldn’t pay what he owed (Robert Duvall) and discovers that he’s an ex-Country star. “Tender Mercies” (1983) is a lowkey drama set in rural Texas, reminiscent of "Resurrection" (1980) mixed with “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and the later “The Apostle.” While it’s better than “Resurrection,” it’s not quite as good as the other two. However, if you like subdued storytelling, like “Places in the Heart,” you might prefer it. The film was reimagined as “Crazy Heart” 26 years later with Jeff Bridges, which also features Duvall. On the female front, Tess is winsome in a humble way while Betty Buckley is great as the ex-wife and country entertainer, Dixie. Whenever she performs, the movie perks up. Lastly, Ellen Barkin is notable as the beautiful 18 years-old daughter. She was 28 during shooting, but easily fit the role. By contrast, both Tess and Robert were slightly long-in-the-tooth for the ages of their characters (if you do the math), but that’s a minor cavil. There’s a welcome spirituality to the proceedings and the movie doesn’t skimp out on addressing tough theological questions in its understated way. The flick runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot in Palmer, Texas, which is a half hour drive south of Dallas. GRADE: B/B-

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  • Tender Mercies poster
  • Tender Mercies poster
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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$4,500,000.00
Revenue
$8,400,000.00
Keywords
country musicguitartexasalcoholismsouthern baptist