Tender Mercies Opening Scene

Directed by Bruce Beresford, Tender Mercies was released in 1983 as an American drama film. The film features a drunk, old, country star who goes on a downfall. He loses his career, and family because of alcohol, but he finds a way to get clean. Though most of the drinking takes place off-screen, the film is quite moving and emotional. The director successfully cultivates an early sense of sadness and hopefulness in the viewer through effective use of camera angles, alternating close-up shots, colors and spacing. The first scene of the movie opens with a close up view through a window, showing Mac and another man fighting in the hotel room. Punches and things breaking stay throughout the scene, and a sense of panic was felt by the viewers. However, despite the violence, the view point of the camera starts to focus on the shadows of the two men. With an unknowing sense of who would win the camera starts to have an open frame. The scene ends with a tracking camera following the man who lost, not Mac, being thrown out of the door. Thus showing the violent side that happens when Mac drinks.
Silence accompanies the scene, and a sense of awkwardness is felt between Mac and his daughter, who Mac has not seen in years. However, despite the space between them, the viewpoint of the camera is slightly close up to each of their faces or pan to view both of them. Like an unknowing and gentle sense, the camera looks equally upon both of them, his daughter sitting on the couch and Mac standing. Moreover, the camera remains to do close ups to add dramatic effect, despite the close quarters, the characters seem distant from one another. The director exploits these techniques to complicate what should be a joyous