
I Saw the Light
2015, Drama/History, 2h 3m
157 Reviews 2,500+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
I Saw the Light boasts a terrifically talented cast, but their performances aren't enough to enliven an unfocused biopic that never comes close to capturing its subject's timeless appeal. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Hank Williams
Audrey Mae Williams
Fred Rose
James Dolan
Lillie Williams
Billie Jean
News & Interviews for I Saw the Light
Critic Reviews for I Saw the Light
All Critics (157) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (128)
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I Saw the Light is one of those films that is instantly forgettable and a complete waste of talent from both Hiddleston and Olsen.
March 21, 2017 | Rating: D | Full Review… -
I Saw the Light doesn't just fail to illuminate Williams' complicated life and his prodigious talent; it can't even capture the dark corners of a man with more than enough to peer into.
January 2, 2017 | Rating: D | Full Review… -
Bleak biopics don't have to be grim (think of Raging Bull). But this one is neither illuminating nor able to make the most of the dark.
May 8, 2016 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… -
To derive any pleasure from the film ... you probably need to be able to listen to Williams's hit Lovesick Blues without wanting to hack off your own ears.
May 8, 2016 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review… -
If they were to give out awards for the most by-the-numbers release of the year ... then this study of Hank Williams would take some beating
May 7, 2016 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review… -
I Saw The Light gives us an exceptional central performance -- but one that is entombed in a very dull and listless film.
May 5, 2016 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for I Saw the Light
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Sep 12, 2015Hank Williams doesn't seem to have been that great of a guy. He became addicted to the drink, morphine and other painkillers as well as fathering several children, only one of which he ever married their mother and this all before his untimely death at the age of twenty-nine. While Williams may not have necessarily been the best guy (and possibly one of the worst parents) it is usually these types of people that stand to create the most interesting stories and in Williams case, write the most interesting ones as well. Before becoming popular as a singer Williams was primarily known for being one of Country and Westerns top songwriters. Williams penned and performed countless tunes for a radio show in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama before securing a deal with the music publishing firm Acuff-Rose as a professional songwriter. All of that taken into consideration, you wouldn't really come to learn much of it from the Marc Abraham (Flash of Genius) biopic concerning Williams as it tends to only patch together a few story points in the singers life rather than dig in and find out what really made him tick. It's admirable that Abraham doesn't take the easy route of opening his film backstage before one of Williams last shows and using it as a framing device for a period of reflection in which the movie's told, but he also doesn't come up with an alternative way to tell us anything insightful about the man and a movie needs to offer more than a Wikipedia page does. read the whole review at www.reviewsfromabed.comPhilip P Super Reviewer
I Saw the Light Quotes
Hank Williams: | Boy, I'm a professional at makin' a mess of things. |
Hank Williams: | He's gonna have a real dad, not like it was for me. |
Hank Williams: | Boy I'm a professional at making a mess of things. |
Hank Williams: | Marriage is tough on marriage. |
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