Honeysuckle Rose

Schatzberg might be a very urban cowboy (Panic in Needle Park, Puzzle of a Downfall Child, Sweet Revenge, etc), but there's no evidence here of slick, Altman-style condescension to country 'n' western culture. Instead there's an unforced equation of the upfront emotional currency of C&W lyrics with a simple triangular plotline pared down from Intermezzo (singer Nelson and wife Cannon almost come apart over the lure of the road and one more infidelity). Nothing new under the sun - but the easy-going fringe benefits are well worth the ticket: Nelson's a natural, and the duets with Cannon are pure gold.