To me, this movie is perfection.

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

I saw this for the first time on "Encore" channel,ten years ago. A gritty,powerful film that days afterward,you're still thinking about.Rip Torn should at the very least been nominated for an Oscar,for his portrayal of a hard living C/W singer,Maury Dann.The film is riveting from start to shockingly abrupt finish.Touching performances from Cliff Emmich as Maurys put upon driver and Jeff Morris as one of the band members.Ahna Capri and Elayne Heilveil are terrific as the love interests.You feel Ahnas characters frustration and sadness as she's about to be replaced by a younger,prettier woman. Cara Dunn is excellent as Maurys drug addicted mother.The "road picture" structure and Alabama locations of this film give it a documentary feel and therefore it never drags or becomes tedious.The story mixes drama,humor,violence and depressing sadness,that give this film its power.This little known film is a must see!

I played the role of Sandy in "Payday". Sandy was the groupie who was seduced by Maury Dann and partied with him in his limousine while her boss/boyfriend, Mr. Bridgeway, searched for her. His discovery of where she had been led to his confrontation with Maury and his subsequent murder. I think one thing the other reviewers have missed about this film is the amazing direction by Darryl Duke. His direction of Rip Torn, who was at that time primarily a stage actor, was nothing short of brilliant. Yes, the movie was destined to be a classic. I've heard it was not marketed properly - I guess we'll never know why it didn't get the attention it deserved. I've heard it's Jay Leno's favorite film. A man of discernment!

I remember watching this film late night in college on the movie channel Encore some 15 years ago. It is a great flick that captures what life on the road for a country western singer must have been like. As others have noted, it could serve as a biography for Johnny Cash and many others of that era who lived a life of pills, booze, and one-night stands with a little music sprinkled in between. Rip Torn is great in this movie, though it's hard now not to picture him as Arthur from the Larry Sanders Show. The one line from Torn's character that sticks with me even today is: "You only go through this life once. You might as well do it in a Cadillac." I'd love to see this movie again but I imagine it would be a hard find.

I saw this about 3 years ago - I got to admit I was slightly inebriated after a lot of alcohol, but still some of the scenes penetrated my mind clearly, with their pull-no-punches cynicism. Maury Dann (played by Rip Torn) was one of the most memorable crooks I've ever seen in film. This sombre character study from the 70's addresses the themes of power and using people, set in the world of country & western music. As Dann's world slowly but surely crumbles, we see glimpses of the past of this cynical singer star trying to hit it big and the bleak relationships around him.I agree with the previous writer, that the film is (sadly) largely unknown, despite a great script by the writer Don Carpenter and a staggering performance from Rip Torn.