David Ansen

“Sissy Spacek may be the only actress who can play a character at 14 as convincingly as she plays her at 33. [More convincingly, as Kael would note] In Coal Miner's Daughter, she portrays country-music star Loretta Lynn and demonstrates anew that she is one of the most gifted chameleons on the screen. It's a virtuoso performance that never calls attention to its virtuosity, so deeply has Spacek submerged herself into the dirt-poor Kentucky girl who married at 13 to discover her musical talents. Spacek even does all her own singing--and if she doesn't quite match Loretta's piercing vocal powers, try to come up with an actress who could.”

David Ansen
Newsweek, March 10, 1980