Review of Tender Mercies (1983) by Aaron G — 09 Sep 2008

Tender Mercies has no discernible plot. Nor does it have a definite resolution. This is what makes it a minor, if somewhat incoherent, masterpiece among critics. It's all about character. I've studied it, and it's an exercise in observation and restraint.

Writing, that is. Horton Foote knows it. He should. He won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this when he was in his sixties, after he'd won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1995. He's a master of the craft.

But Duvall here is amazing, and not only did he learn from Hoote the essence of pure drama, he took that and turned his own project into what is now known as The Apostle. To unlock the bare minimum of a man's tortured ambivalence would be a rare achievement.

These guys do it with such ease that the meditative response to the film is almost nauseating to some. A masterpiece of non-entertainment!