The Last Ride (2012)

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

I've already reviewed the other Hank Williams movies, so I must owe this one a nod. Unfortunately that's the only reason to watch it, IE that it's specifically about the legendary, self-destructive young country singer/songwriter. It may provide you with a few snippets you didn't know already, and will also misinform you. As a drama, TLR only has the premise of 'get Hank to Charleston sober or you don't get paid' to provide any tension (they don't, but he does get paid, anticlimactically). It's a two-hander road movie, essentially.As a 'docu-drama', again the casting of Hank is problematic, because there's not a lot of interest to be got from the story of a man with multiple addictions who spends the whole movie on the road. Hank himself was a notably tall, shortsighted, skinny geek with big ears - which in some way explains his popular appeal. To see a man physically like that being an all-round PITA (as Hank is portrayed here at first) would have brought home his uniqueness, and made his redemption here to all-round nice guy all the more poignant. The actor here is an ordinarily handsome, strong-looking, forty-year-old, and is just not physically distinctive or vulnerable-looking as Hank was. The movie actually concedes that he's too old by getting him to ask the driver to guess his age. No, you're not shockingly 29, you're obviously not long into middle age.In the end, the story is diverted into a romance for the driver, and Hank is shown to be all heart ('I've never had a friend'). By this time it's obvious that the movie has fizzled out. The sense of 1953 was completely blown by the roadhouse band who sounded like, well, any roadhouse country band from the last thirty years. Pretty rough.Factually inaccurate, musically threadbare, and not particularly well cast - this ain't much of a bone to throw at us Hank fans after sixty years. Only worth watching if like me you just want to carp at the way it misses its mark. 'The Show He Never Gave' remains the one to beat.

When done right some of the best films out there are those dealing with real life people, especially those that have become icons in the entertainment industry. For some reason some get the big budget treatment and others seem to be left to the straight to video or limited run route. The latest is The Last Ride focusing on Hank Williams senior, but takes an interesting direction with the tale, but does it deliver? The Last Ride follows the end of 1952, with the best years of Hank Williams's career behind him, he hires a local kid to drive him through the Appalachian countryside for a pair of New Year's shows in West Virginia and Ohio. This is one of those films that is a bit hit and miss depending on how you look at it. On one side it is pretty intriguing the direction and time period that they chose to go with to tell this story of Hank Williams. While entertaining it is almost a bit of a letdown as this isn't really a Hank Williams story at all, but still is. This film plays more of a character study that relies mostly on the performances and the direction in hopes to tell this story in a way that is different than most of its kind. Through most of the film the lead character has no idea who he is driving around, which in turn makes it engaging waiting for that big reveal moment when he knows, but sadly that point never comes. There is no doubt he realizes, but it isn't played up as much as you might think and will probably be anticipating. On the flip side the performances are all pretty well executed keeping what could have been a slow boring film engaging and worth the time spent. There are some strange choices regarding green screen at times for some driving moments, but also seems to give it an old film feeling that kind of works with the time period.This isn't a perfect film by any means, but is interesting on a few levels. The choice of what time they chose to make the focal point and lack of ever using any of him performing in the movie or even the soundtrack makes it a big risk but does manage to payoff. The overall film plays out more like a well-made TV movie, but these days is not necessarily a bad thing. Filled with a great cast and easily one of Henry Thomas' best performances in some time The Last Ride manages to keep your attention and take you on a trip worth riding along for, especially for those that are fans of Williams. Just know going into this film it is not the story of Williams struggle in the music industry, but his struggles in life when it was probably time to hang up his hat.

Don't go for the music. This is not "Walk the Line", "Coal Miners Daughter" or "The Buddy Holley Story".I saw this film at it's Montana premier here in Bozeman. I'm not sure whether to call this a "buddy/road trip movie" or a "coming of age" story. The fact that Hank Williams is the mystery passenger is almost irrelevant to the relationship that builds between the two main characters. One can be spoiled by the sophistication of today's blockbuster special effects. The simple rendering of snowfall and other "throw-back" effects reveals this as definitely a low budget movie. And even though both the writing and the acting are a bit stilted, there is an endearing sweetness about "The Last Ride" It is worth seeing.

I am an absolute fan of Hank Williams Sr and have been ever since 1954. But something just does not smell right about this movie....About 15 years ago there was a made-for-Canadian-TV movie "Hank Williams, The Show He Never Gave" which was a filmed version of a live show, originating in London. The creator of that show/DVD was an inspired Hank Williams fan who knew and understood Hank's great power and he created a movie that still ranks as a gut-level emotional powerhouse. I've seen it 6 times so far."Your Cheatin' Heart" was a planned movie at MGM for 10 years before finally being filmed. It did not do Hank justice. Now comes this new one which looks like a cash-in on Hank's memory, and an imitation of an A+ movie already available. Proceed with caution, because a rip-off movie about Hank will surely make you angry.