Finally! A Blaze Foley biopic. I know that a few readers had questions about the film when it posted in my Top 10 of 2018 last year. Well, here’s the time when I chime in about the little Ethan Hawke movie that could.
Blaze Foley is the true face of Outlaw Country. Largely ignored by many music fans, Foley existed on the periphery of the Texas music scene. He had fans across the board and even landed an episode of Mike Judge’s Tales from the Tourbus.
What matters most is that Hawke directed the film as an adaptation of Blaze’s wife’s memories of him. That soft touch creates a story that we don’t often get in these biopics.
Too often, most music biopics feel like Walk Hard played straight. What Hawke does here is touch upon what Altman caught in the 1970s. When the truth is lame, go for the feel.
Ethan Hawke is impressing me as a director among other things. He’s taking that cool Dennis Hopper approach that the maverick had in the 70s and 80s. Do I think Hawke is going to whip out his take on Colors in a few years? No. But, I would watch it if he did.
