Over the years, there have been countless great country music movies ranging from outstanding biographical dramas like Walk the Line and Coal Miner’s Daughter, to beloved fictional stories set in honky tonks and massive concert halls around the country like Tender Mercies and A Star is Born.
There is just something about country music that makes it perfect for the big screen, which is one reason there are just so many great movies focused on down-on-their-luck lost souls at the end of their rope and the heartfelt music that comes from their life experiences and sorrow. Below is a collection of great country music movies and where you can watch them streaming. Grab a tissue (and a bottle of your favorite spirit) because this is going to be one emotional ride…
Urban Cowboy (1980)
Though James Bridges’ 1980 drama, Urban Cowboy, isn’t about a country singer pining for a lost love or writing songs about trains, or trucks, or prison, or getting drunk, it very much captures the heart and soul of the genre and lifestyle. The movie follows Bud Davis (John Travolta in one of his best roles) as he falls madly in love with a woman named Sissy (Debra Winger), who forces him to look at life through a different lens. When the relationship hits a rough patch, Bud decides to win Sissy back through a mechanical bull-riding competition.
Rent/Buy Urban Cowboy on Amazon.
Buy Urban Cowboy on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012)
Felix van Groeningen’s 2012 drama, The Broken Circle Breakdown is a story of love and loss and the lessons we learn from those experiences. Balancing moments of pure bliss with agony, this portrait of two Belgian musicians (played by Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens) is told over many years, and is filled with great triumph and tragedy as it details how the unlikely pair come together and form a family before it’s all broken apart. With powerful renditions of classics like “Wayfaring Stranger,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” and “If I Needed You,” this is a film like no other.
Stream The Broken Circle Breakdown on Freevee.
Rent/Buy The Broken Circle Breakdown on Amazon.
Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns (2019)
Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns is technically a documentary series, but watching this eight-part exploration of the genre and the greats who have contributed to its rich lore over the years is something all country fans should watch. From the early days of bluegrass to mainstream success experienced by artists like Garth Brooks and George Strait in the 1990s, this in-depth and lovingly crafted documentary tells it all.
Stream Country Music: A Ken Burns Film on PBS.
Buy Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns on Amazon.
George & Tammy (2022)
George & Tammy is a limited series, but the richness of its story and outstanding performances by Michael Shannon as George Jones and Jessica Chastain as Tammy Wynette make this a worthy addition to this list. One of the best shows on Paramount+, this six-part chronicling of two of the most successful country stars of all time is a loving portrait to their music, lives, and legacy that doesn’t pull its punches. Instead, the story just breathes as their intense relationship plays out.
Stream George & Tammy on Paramount+.
Buy George & Tammy on Amazon.
Walk The Line (2005)
Few biopics resonate as much as James Mangold’s Walk the Line. Telling the story of Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix in a performance that somehow didn’t win an Oscar), this 2005 drama follows the “Man in Black” from his early days in rural Arkansas all the way to one of the highlights of his career and country music as a whole — the live recording of the famous 1968 At Folsom Prison album. There are plenty of ups and downs — especially those involving Cash’s bandmate turned soulmate June Carter (Reese Witherspoon in an Oscar-winning performance) — throughout this wonderfully directed and acted film, all of which makes Walk the Line a must-watch for anyone fond of Johnny Cash or country music in general.
Stream Walk the Line on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Walk the Line on Amazon.
Buy Walk the Line on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Crazy Heart (2009)
The 2009 drama Crazy Heart tells the unforgettable story of country music legend Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges), who, despite being one of the best in the game, is stuck playing small dive bars after burning one too many bridges throughout his life. Drunk, depressed, and all alone, Blake’s life is given new meaning when he meets journalist Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal). What starts as a reporter asking a few questions quickly turns into an intimate relationship that gives the washed-up country singer a new purpose in life. That promise of a better life, however, is soon threatened by ghosts of Blake’s tumultuous past.
Rent/Buy Crazy Heart on Amazon.
A Star Is Born (2018)
There have been a total of four films with the title A Star Is Born released over the years, but the 2018 musical drama directed by Bradley Cooper, who also stars alongside Lady Gaga, is the most raw and emotional of the bunch. The film centers on Jackson Maine (Cooper), a successful musician with a bevy of personal issues who finds new meaning and romance when he runs into struggling singer Ally (Lady Gaga) at a drag bar. What starts as a happy-go-lucky love affair quickly turns into something much bigger as the two fall deeply in love just as Ally’s career begins to reach new heights. As the roles reverse over time, Jackson and Ally are left wondering how to make sense of this confusing life.
Stream A Star is Born on Max.
Rent/Buy A Star is Born on Amazon.
Buy A Star is Born on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Pure Country (1992)
Dusty Wyatt (George Strait) is one of the biggest country singers in the world with everything he could want in life: fame, fortune, sold-out arena shows, you name it. But, the glitz and glamour causes the chart-topping musician to grow disillusioned with life and take a step back and return to his small hometown. Christopher Gain’s 1992 country music romance, Pure Country, follows Dusty as he becomes a hired hand at a local ranch, falls in love with the owner’s daughter, and finds his passion for life once again. The peace and quiet of country life can only last so long, as Dusty is slowly pulled back into the hectic nature of the music industry.
Rent/Buy Pure Country on Amazon.
Buy Pure Country on Blu-ray on Amazon.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, one of the Coen Brothers’ best movies, tells the story of three escaped convicts — Ulysses McGill (George Clooney), Delmar O’Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson), and Pete (John Turturro) as they embark upon an epic journey to find buried treasure in the American South. To make money to support their pursuit of fortune, the trio records a song as The Soggy Bottom Boys, becoming an overnight sensation. But, the group’s fame could also lead to their undoing and prevent them from finding that elusive treasure chest.
Rent/Buy O Brother, Where Art Thou? on Amazon.
Buy O Brother, Where Art Thou? on DVD on Amazon.
Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
A quarter-century before Joaquin Phoenix paid homage to Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, Sissy Spacek brought to life the story of country music legend Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter. This wonderful 1980 biographical drama directed by Michael Apted tells the improbable story of a young teenager in Kentucky as she goes from mother of four before she’s even 20 to one of the biggest voices the world of country music has ever seen. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, Coal Miner’s Daughter would ultimately win one that night when Spacek was named Best Actress for her remarkable portrayal of a woman who never gave up on herself, her dreams, or her family.
Rent/Buy Coal Miner’s Daughter on Amazon.
Buy Coal Miner’s Daughter on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Tender Mercies (1983)
Bruce Beresford’s 1983 country music drama, Tender Mercies, follows aging singer Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) as he tries to make sense of the decisions that led to him waking up in a motel room with no money to his name. When given an opportunity to make some cash leads to him falling in love with the motel’s owner, Rosa Lee (Tess Harper), Mac makes a conscious effort to change his life and pull himself out of the cycle of honky-tonk gigs, blackouts, and regrets. Robert Duvall ended up winning an Oscar for his portrayal of the down-on-his-luck musician in this must-watch country music movie.
Rent/Buy Tender Mercies on Amazon.
Buy Tender Mercies on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Blaze (2018)
The name Blaze Foley might not be the most recognizable to the casual country music fan, but the crooner from Texas remains one of the most influential musicians of his time, even decades after he was stabbed to death following a disagreement with his neighbor’s son. The Ethan Hawke-directed biopic Blaze sees singer-songwriter Ben Dickey do a masterful job of bringing the “Duct Tape Messiah” to life in spectacular fashion. Told through a combination of scenes from Blaze’s life and interviews with the likes of Townes Van Zandt (Charlie Sexton) , Hawke offers a unique spin on the biographical drama setup, producing one of the most beautiful films of the past decade.
Stream Blaze on Tubi.
Stream Blaze on Kanopy.
Buy Blaze on Amazon.
Buy Blaze on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Honkytonk Man (1982)
In 1982, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the musical drama Honkytonk Man, which follows Great Depression-era country singer Red Stovall as he sets off to make a name for himself at the Grand Ole Opry. But, Red isn’t some up-and-coming musician with his best years ahead of him. No, Red is dying of tuberculosis and is using the fuel that’s left in his tank to turn a seemingly impossible dream into a reality. Honkytonk Man, which happens to be one of Clint Eastwood’s best movies, would also be the final film appearance by country-western icon Marty Robbins, who passed away less than two weeks before the film’s December 15, 1982 release.
Rent/Buy Honkytonk Man on Amazon.
Nashville (1975)
In 1975, Robert Altman gave the world one of his most ambitious movies with the release of his satirical musical drama, Nashville. With a large ensemble cast including Ned Beatty, Lily Tomlin, Karen Black, Keith Carradine, and numerous others, the movie tells of the interconnected lives of various musicians, politicians, and local residents who are all trying to make a name for themselves in the Tennessee capital. Nominated for five Academy Awards, Nashville would end up taking home the Oscar for Best Original Song for Keith Carradine's poignant "I Am Easy."
Buy Nashville on Amazon.
Buy Nashville on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Heartworn Highways (1976)
And then, there is the 1976 outlaw country documentary Heartworn Highways, which offers viewers a look into the lives of some of the most prolific yet least-talked-about singer-songwriters of the era. With iconic scenes involving the late great Townes Van Zandt performing his gut-wrenching ballad “Waiting Around to Die,” David Allan Coe performing at the Tennessee State Prison (where he was once an inmate), Guy Clark’s epic Christmas party with the likes of Steve Young, Rodney Crowell, and a teenage Steve Earle, and more, this is must-watch for anyone who wants to know about some of country music’s most influential figures. I promise, you will not be let down.
Stream Heartworn Highways on Kanopy.
Buy Heartworn Highways on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
These are some of the best country music movies you can watch right now, but this doesn’t mean this is everything out there. And who knows, maybe we’ll see even more country music stories told in the form of a biopic one day. The world could surely use a great movie about Townes Van Zandt.
