Tom Hiddleston takes the reins as Hank Williams in this biopic of the Country & Western music star. Hiddleston deserves credit for his immersion in the role, singing his own music for the film, and putting on a great southern accent. According to reports he spent months learning to play guitar and practicing with country singer Rodney Crowell and it pays off as he mimics the yodeling styles of Williams excellently. He is joined along for the ride by the ever more impressive Elizabeth Olsen as Audrey his wife, manager and sometimes singing partner.

I couldn’t help to compare the movie to the similar film Walk The Line and this just never reaches the same heights despite being a more tragic tale since Williams was cut down at the young age of 29 after a life of excess where he essentially drove himself into an early grave.

The movie seems to lack real tension or emotion outside the pieces involving his turbulent marriage to the equally strong willed Audrey or when he is performing on stage but I’m not sure if that is down to Williams life itself or director Marc Abrahams interpretation and while first part of the film where Williams finds his feet, hones his talents and forces his way onto the Grand Ole Opry through sheer persistence as well as his obvious talent is intriguing and entertaining the second half then becomes a decline into alcoholism, drug abuse and womanising which, while perhaps accurate, slow the movie down as we essentially watch Williams drifting towards his demise, only interspersed with small moments of interest. While I don’t know a huge amount about the man I can’t say that the movie feels like it does justice to the life of a legend of music.

DJ Speaks Rating: 5 Out Of 10