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Sweet Dreams

Play trailer Poster for Sweet Dreams PG-13 Released Oct 2, 1985 1h 55m Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Aspiring country singer Patsy Cline (Jessica Lange) is resigned to both her thankless gigs and her unhappy marriage, until she meets the charismatic Charlie Dick (Ed Harris). Eventually leaving her husband to marry Charlie, Patsy temporarily shelves her performing career to be a mother. Later she returns to singing and finds success under manager Randy Hughes (David Clennon). Patsy hits a remarkable stride with a string of hit singles, and has become a full-fledged star when tragedy strikes.
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Sweet Dreams

Critics Reviews

View All (21) Critics Reviews
Pauline Kael The New Yorker Lange has real authority here, and the performance holds you emotionally. This is one of the few times I’ve seen people cry at a movie that wasn't sentimental -- it’s an honest tearjerker. People can cry without feeling they’ve been had. Sep 13, 2023 Full Review Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune But the resulting film is scattershot, always skirting the surface, never digging deep enough, runnning through events as if it was a TV movie racing ahead to the next commercial break. Dec 12, 2018 Full Review Paul Attanasio Washington Post "Sweet Dreams" doesn't draw you in the way, say, "Coal Miner's Daughter" (the story of Loretta Lynn) did, but it does entertain. Jan 4, 2018 Full Review TV Guide Director Karel Reisz and screenwriter Robert Getchell create a tightly woven drama with two strong main characters and a number of fine supporting roles, and the love story at the film's center is convincing. Rated: 3/4 Jan 3, 2012 Full Review Chuck O'Leary FulvueDrive-in.com Rated: 3/5 May 7, 2007 Full Review Christopher Null Filmcritic.com Rated: 3/5 Feb 21, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (141) audience reviews
Sarah M I loved the movie I thought they did an outstanding job BUT the ending is wrong the plane crashed in the trees not the side of the mountain. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review KB B This was a good movie with good acting and storyline. I must say I liked Coal Miners Daughter better but I like Patsy Kline's hits much better. It's definitely worth the watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/16/24 Full Review Walt S Super music by the great Patsy and a very good movie that is timeless. Excellent acting. What's not to like here?? We watched it twice. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/02/24 Full Review Farah R Sweet Dreams is a heartfelt biopic that recounts the tragic, short life of country singer Patsy Cline through music, drama, and romance. The film is anchored in the magnetism of its talented leads, Lange and Harris, who commendably bring their characters to life and are the only reason the film is worth watching. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/12/24 Full Review Jeff M Musical biopics are obviously one of the most popular genres in current cinema, with the phenomenal almost $1 billion worldwide gross for BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY being the most vivid recent example. One of the very best is this biography of Patsy Cline, the greatest singer who ever lived in my humble opinion. I don't understand why nobody talks about this film anymore - I personally believe it to be better than COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER and WALK THE LINE (both very good films) and certainly better than BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Some of you youngsters out there who only know Lange from AMERICAN HORROR STORY may not realize that she was arguably the top actress of the 1980s after Meryl Streep. She is absolutely stunning as Cline, a role interestingly enough Streep has publicly admitted she wanted but didn't get. The chemistry between Lange and a never better Harris is really great, and Wedgeworth has a lovely role as Cline's mom that should have been a Supporting Actress contender. And of course there's the pure joy of listening to Cline's greatest hits, to which Lange expertly lip syncs. At its core, this is a love story that in many ways was as tragic as the plane crash that ended her life at only 30 years old. And although the ending of this film is a real heartbreaker, it's also filled with a lot of life and joy and humor. I urge you to check it out if you have the chance! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review lawrenceb56 Jessica Lange is just as amazing here as she was in Tootsie, Country (which-unbelievably-is unavailable for streaming anywhere..) Frances and All That Jazz (another one you can't stream—damn!!). Ed Harris is his usual brilliant. Ann Wedgewerth (who is also wonderful in this) was like Lange in that she was smart and sexy and beautiful and still a hard working and well trained actress who could play a huge range of characters and truly create an inner life for each of them. This film seems very of the time and genuine. I think it's the equal of Coal Miners Daughter. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/30/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Sweet Dreams

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Cast & Crew

Romero 80% 80% Romero Watchlist Vincent and Theo 90% 72% Vincent and Theo Watchlist Tom & Viv 36% 60% Tom & Viv Watchlist Christopher Columbus: The Discovery 7% 17% Christopher Columbus: The Discovery Watchlist Wyatt Earp 31% 61% Wyatt Earp Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Aspiring country singer Patsy Cline (Jessica Lange) is resigned to both her thankless gigs and her unhappy marriage, until she meets the charismatic Charlie Dick (Ed Harris). Eventually leaving her husband to marry Charlie, Patsy temporarily shelves her performing career to be a mother. Later she returns to singing and finds success under manager Randy Hughes (David Clennon). Patsy hits a remarkable stride with a string of hit singles, and has become a full-fledged star when tragedy strikes.
Director
Karel Reisz
Distributor
TriStar Pictures
Production Co
Home Box Office (HBO)
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 2, 1985, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.0M
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Surround
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