One of the better music biopics to be released, Coal Miner’s Daughter tells the story of country singer Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek) with an emotional intelligence and endearing charm that is lost on other films of its nature.
The film follows Lynn’s story from dirt poor teenager in Kentucky, to her ascent as country queen in the 1960s. Along the way she marries Doolitte Lynn (Tommy Lee Jones) who encourages her career in music while dealing with his own pride and foibles.
Sissy Spacek is simply terrific as Loretta Lynn, portraying the evolution of the “Queen of Country Music” from mousey teen to superstar, while also singing Lynn’s songs. Director Michael Apted captures the live feeling of the music performances as well as a palpable sense of place in the depiction of Appalachia America without resorting to stereotype.
