Review of Tender Mercies (1983) by Kevin P — 21 Sep 2007

I'll quote a large comment that I still believe in. When Tender Mercies was released in 1983, the NY Times said Robert Duvall was "America's best actor. He's our Laurence Olivier." Duvall went on to win an Oscar for his performance in this film, but both the comment and performance have been forgotten today.

Duvall shortchanged his future by taking too many character roles after Tender Mercies and not challenging Robert De Niro and Al Pacino by taking on more ambitious roles. Laurence Olivier, himself, speaking about his own career, said in the early 1960s that he was the best actor not because he really was the best but because he challenged his talent with the greatest roles.

In 1983 Duvall already had a resume that showed he might be able to do the same, but he aligned his career afterwards with too many familar roles and he wasn't afraid to be in the background of a scene.

The greatness of Tender Mercies is that you are allowed to be carried back to the heights of his career with a role so simple but a performance so commanding that Duvall's performance itself challenges the bounds of the story.

He could have played this role straight. The story of a troubled singer coming to terms has been done well by lesser actors. But Duvall adds so much nuance and patience that every moment looks like a personal experience for him.

The filmmakers probably had an idea to simplify the story and create an atmosphere, but I believe Duvall challenged them to take it even further with his performance. It bleeds of too many moments of drawn out pain and hurt.

The camera spends so much time on Duvall that the recording of his portrayed pain really becomes our prolonged admiration of his talent.