If you don't know a whole lot about Hank Williams' career, this film isn't going to help. In fact, this could have been written as a fictional story and it would have had as much emotional impact. Maybe more so, knowing now that the picture's title was indeed meant to convey the famed country singer's last ride. Missing for me was any real connection to Williams' career and back story, so I couldn't relate to many aspects of the film to realize if they carried any resonance or not. The most poignant moment for me occurred when Williams (Henry Thomas) struggled to explain to his driver (Jesse James) that he never had a real friend. I just found that so incredibly sad, and attempting to relate that to the real Hank Williams was next to impossible without really knowing the man. Fans of the country singer may have a different take away from mine, but I felt something lacking here. On top of that, it's a real downer when the 'last ride' theme plays itself out. Not recommended for self destructive types.
Review of The Last Ride
