Tender Mercies
Seen it?1983 | 92 min | Drama, Music, Romance
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It won 2 Oscars, it earned strong reviews (81% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. If you loved Dreamgirls, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 32 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Alcoholic 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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 2 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Actor, Academy Awards: Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen. Won 1 Golden Globe: Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Drama – Written Directly for the Screen. Also nominated for 3 more Oscars, 4 more Golden Globes and 1 Cannes award. Plus 4 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$8 million worldwide on a $5 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 301K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Bruce Beresford
- Robert DuvallMac Sledge
- Tess HarperRosa Lee
- Betty BuckleyDixie
- Wilford BrimleyHarry
- Ellen BarkinSue Anne
- Allan HubbardSonny
- Lenny Von DohlenRobert
- Paul GleasonReporter
- Michael CrabtreeLewis Menefee
- Norman BennettReverend Hotchkiss