Some things bothered me
I just saw the movie today and I really liked it. I was never a George Hamilton fan and I saw him in only a few movies. While I thought he was okay in the few movies I saw, I must say that he was great as Hank Williams. When I heard he was playing Williams I wasn't too crazy about the idea, but I saw the whole movie and loved Hamilton in the part. As for the rest of the actors, I thought Red Buttons overacted at times and I didn't care for Susan Oliver's acting at all. In the end, when they find out Hank is dead, Susan Oliver didn't even look shocked or that upset. Red Buttons announces the horrible news to the audience and I just didn't buy his performance. Nobody seemed upset enough. Nobody was crying. His kids weren't even crying. The audience seemed saddened and shocked.
They changed Hank Williams' death a little bit, but I was able to understand why. I think it was nice in the end how the last time we see him he is singing that beautiful song. We didn't have to see him on drugs and alcohol and coughing up blood in the end. They also wanted to leave us with the impression that he had turned his life around before he died and stopped drinking. I'll never forget how they did the same thing with the end of The Joker is Wild with Sinatra. Sinatra played famous singer and stand-up comedian Joe E. Lewis. Sinatra was good in that. Highly recommend that movie. Great movie. But I noticed that in the end how we are left with the impression he turned his life around and quit drinking. I heard from people that he didn't stop.
My only other problem was how they never explained why Hank Williams was unhappy and why he drank. According to the movie, he hated fame and didn't want it. Don't know if that's true. But is that why he was trying to drink himself to death and ruin his career? The movie never explained.