Sweet Dreams (1985 film)

Sweet Dreams is a 1985 American biographical film which tells the story of country music singer Patsy Cline.
The film was written by Robert Getchell and directed by Karel Reisz. It stars Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ann Wedgeworth, David Clennon, James Staley, Gary Basaraba, John Goodman, and P. J. Soles.
The film was nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress (Jessica Lange). For all the musical sequences, Lange lip-synced to the original Patsy Cline recordings. The soundtrack of the same name was released in September 1985.
Plot.
Patsy Cline (Jessica Lange) is unhappily married and playing small-time gigs in the tri-state area consisting of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland when she meets Charlie Dick (Ed Harris), whose charm and aggressive self-confidence catch her attention. Patsy is married but is planning to divorce. After her divorce, Patsy and Charlie marry, and she is free to pursue music, and, later, focus on raising their children. After Charlie gets drafted into the U.S. Army, Patsy focuses on singing more, and after joining forces with manager Randy Hughes, Patsy becomes a rising star on the country music scene.
However, Patsy's success fuels her self-confidence, much to Charlie's annoyance, and he becomes increasingly physically and emotionally abusive as Patsy attempts to assert her independence. Patsy was at the peak of her popularity as one of the first great female stars of country music when she died in a plane crash on March 5, 1963, at the age of 30.
Reception.
Noted film critic Roger Ebert gave the film two out of four stars, writing:There isn't the sense of a well-shaped structure in this movie; there's no clear idea of what the filmmakers thought about Patsy Cline, or what thoughts her life is supposed to inspire.
Metacritic gave the film a 65 rating.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
As of April 2021, the film holds a rating of 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 20 reviews.