George & Tammy Review: A Deeply Felt but Stretched-Thin Biopic

It’s a testament to the immersive performances of its two leads that the series manages to bring its titular iconic figures to life.

George & Tammy
Photo: Dana Hawley/Showtime

When George Jones and Tammy Wynette are introduced to each other for the first time in Abe Sylvia’s limited series George & Tammy, their careers are headed in opposite directions. It’s 1968 and George is a cynical drunk who’s past his prime, while Tammy is on her way to becoming one of the most successful female country singers in America. Thanks to her producer, Billy Sherill (David Wilson Barnes), this is her shot to convince George to allow her and her band to open for him on tour. But when Tammy tells George how big of an opportunity it would be for her, he cuts her off, replying, “I’m a man, not an opportunity.”

Despite that rebuff, there’s an immediate spark between the two, leading to a stormy six-year romance spiked with scandals, domestic violence, and a lot of reconciliation. Throughout its six episodes, directed by John Hillcoat, George & Tammy spends about equal time portraying the couple’s personal and professional lives, but it doesn’t shy away from detailing these sometimes heartbreaking and ugly moments.

Shannon delivers a performance that painstakingly channels anger, self-loathing, and regret, as well as the insecurities and inner demons that prevented Jones from being a decent husband and father. In one intimate scene, Jones shares a childhood memory with Tammy, contrasting his abusive father with his sister’s husband, who was the first man to show him any kindness. Shannon is restrained and tender, and the scene goes a long way toward explaining why music was the only tool George felt he had at his disposal to articulate his emotions.

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The quiet intimacy and determination with which Chastain captures Tammy’s struggle to triumph in a male-dominated field is equally textured. When, early on in her career, Tammy sings “Apartment No. 9”—the cast fully immersed themselves in the recreations of some of Wynette and Jones’s hit songs—Chastain’s eyes are filled with a combination of affliction and vulnerability. She also imbues the character with an unwavering firmness as Tammy confronts the hardships of raising multiple children while following her dream. That resilience doesn’t wear off even when Tammy’s health declines and she becomes addicted to painkillers.

Unfortunately, Shannon and Chastain are burdened with a script that’s marred by uneven pacing and jarring leaps in time. In the early scenes, the writers struggle to establish George and Tammy’s love beyond their physical attraction. Their chemistry is real, but there’s a palpable gulf between their initial flirtation and the tumultuous love that flourishes between the two later on. It’s a testament to the immersive and deeply felt performances of its two leads that George & Tammy manages to bring its titular iconic figures to life.

Score: 
 Cast: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Steve Zahn, Kelly McCormack, Katy Mixon, Walton Goggins, David Wilson Barnes  Buy: Amazon

Akos Peterbencze

Akos Peterbencze is an entertainment writer based in London. He covers film and TV regularly on Looper, and his work has also been published in Paste Magazine, Humungus, Frame Rated, and more.

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