Tom Hiddleston Gives Excellent Performance in Downbeat Hank Williams Biopic ‘I Saw the Light’

Sandra Miska

The short life of singer-songwriter Hank Williams (Tom Hiddleston) is depicted in the musical biopic “I Saw the Light.” Williams, who tragically passed away at age 29 on New Year’s Day 1953 of what was most likely a heart condition exacerbated by drugs and heavy drinking, revolutionized country music during his six-year career and is considered to be one of music’s first superstars.

“I Saw the Light” opens with Hank’s wedding to single mother Audrey Shepherd (Elizabeth Olsen) at an Alabama gas station. The marriage is troubled from the start. His heavy drinking, wandering eye and overbearing mother Lillie (Cherry Jones) begin to put a strain their relationship. Lillie has been supporting her son and his career for years and resents Audrey who not only takes on some management duties but also pushes to sing alongside her husband despite her limited talent. Hank doesn’t think too highly of either woman claiming they both want to steal his money when he’s passed out drunk.

It’s a story that’s all too familiar in the music world as Hank’s band members begrudgingly back up Audrey on a less-than-impressive radio performance. No one is surprised when Audrey files for divorce for the first time in 1948 because, as one bandmate puts it, they both “want to be the boss.” Hank eventually wins back his wife, and their reunion leads to the birth of their son Hank Williams, Jr.

Just as his personal life is at a high point, Hank’s professional life picks up. Hit record after hit record leads to him fulfilling a lifelong dream when he is invited to be a part of the prestigious stage and radio show of the Grand Ole Opry.

Few scenes of Hank engaging in affairs are shown, although Audrey brings up his philandering several times during the film. Scenes devoted to his substance abuse, however, are far from scarce. In one memorable scene, he shows up to a concert in a stupor and miraculously makes it on the stage a few hours later and performs for a wholesome crowd of adoring fans.

“I Saw the Light” offers a glimpse of what fame looked like in the postwar era. Decades before the likes of Perez Hilton and “TMZ,” gossip still spread, and Hank is asked point blank about his dependency on alcohol by journalist James Dolan played by David Krumholtz. Just like today, celebrities with addictions attract those wishing to take advantage and Hank eventually falls victim to a quack “doctor,” ex-convict Toby Marshall (Wayne Pére).

Bradley Whitford plays Hank’s manager Fred Rose and is there for his client during his rise to fame. Scenes of Rose talking to the camera documentary-style fill in the gaps of what’s not shown onscreen. Whitford is a great actor but montages would’ve been more effective.

While “I Saw the Light” contains many tropes found in other musical biopics like “Ray” and “Walk the Line,” it lacks the charm of these films, mostly because Hank Williams doesn’t come across as a likable character. The last straw in his marriage to Audrey is his waving a gun at her in front of her friends and subsequently firing shots. It’s not long before he falls for Billie Jean Jones (Maddie Hasson) who is also a divorced parent despite being only 19 years old. Hank vows to marry the young woman, which is all fine and dandy, except for the fact that his more age-appropriate girlfriend Bobbie (Wrenn Schmidt) is carrying his child. At times, he is flippant about his alcoholism. When his bandmate Red Foley (Jeff Pope) dares to broach the subject with him, he defends himself by stating that Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant took Vicksburg despite being drunk every day by three.

The highlight of the film are performances by Hiddleston and Olsen, as well as the music that Hiddleston, a native of England, sings himself almost flawlessly. Viewers can look forward to his rendition of hits such as “Hey Good Lookin,” “Jambalaya” and “Honky Tonkin’.” For all his troubles, Hank Williams endeared himself to the public with his music. Too bad Hank couldn’t have saved himself, as his untimely death was a major loss to the world of music, which is made evident in the final chill-inducing scenes.

“I Saw the Light” is the second feature directed by producer Marc Abraham. Abraham adapted the screenplay from the book “Hank Williams: The Biography” by Colin Escott with George Merritt and William MacEwen.

“I Saw the Light” opens March 25 in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, and nationwide on April 1.