Movie Review – Crazy Heart (2009)

Jeff Bridges. Awesome. I have always been a fan, but Crazy Heart takes Bridges’ acting to a whole new level. There were Golden Globe rumblings and there are Oscar rumblings and rightfully so. Crazy Heart proves that sometimes the most realistic and honest story is the best one. You will not get your action, your thriller, or your Sci-Fi here, but you will get a powerful drama that doesn’t take any liberties when telling a story about a has been country singer who has hit rock bottom when he finds a reason to straighten himself out. Jeff Bridges carries the weight of the main character, Bad Blake, on his shoulders and does so with brilliance.

The acting is all Bridges here, as you might have guessed, but let’s not discredit Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, or Robert Duvall. Gyllenhaal uses her talent to play the part of Jean Craddock, a reporter looking for an interview with Bad Blake. It turns out that she may be looking for a little more than that and Mr. Blake finds a reason to pull it together and sober up from his life of alcoholism. Gyllenhaal does not disappoint and her tears are well placed and convincing. Colin Farrell is Tommy Sweet, the man who has taken what he learned from Blake and used it to make a name for himself. As Sweet gathers the spotlight, Blake drifts into obscurity. Sweet doesn’t forget what Blake has done for him though and that gives Blake one more opportunity to get himself out of his sad situation. Robert Duvall is that friendly character he plays so well who offers advice and help to his good friend Blake in his time of need. Robert Duvall had his hand in the producing of the film so it is no surprise that he showed his face in it as well. It turned out they had a part that was perfect for him. Bridges was fantastic though; drunker and even sloppier than the dude, but he is not all care free and happy. Instead he is more on the side of pathetic and run down with almost no hopes of getting back to a presentable state. He is not happy and even when he smiles you can see it in his eyes that he is not enjoying where his life is headed. Yet, he presses on into the darkness just hoping that someone will fix his life for him. The acting was powerful enough to make the film, but there was more to this one than just the on screen talent.

The story and directing are also powerful components in the movie and Crazy Heart has some of the best. Thomas Cobb wrote the novel and Scott Cooper is the actor turned writer director that brought this one to the screen. Often people will say that the book is better than the movie, but if it is in this case then I would think it is only because the book came first. Either way, I am glad that it did make its way to the big screen because as you all know, I do not read much and this movie was well worth the watch. The previews and earlier part of this review give you an idea of the story in this one, but to see it on screen is so much more powerful than the short previews and synopsis. Crazy Heart has heart and emotion where you would think that you have seen it all before and yet it is directed and acted in such a way that it will suck you in and give you more than just another movie about a has been musician.

Sure, Crazy Heart is playing the small art house cinemas and mutliplex theater just because they have more screens than they know what to do with, but if you are a fan of good movies then you will not be disappointed. Sometimes, the fact that a movie is hard to find is the first indicator that it is a great one. The honesty is what makes this film what it is and all too often movies are made only for the explosions or absurd story. Crazy Heart is a story about something that happens all the time and we could even watch happen in real life. You could say that it makes it less imaginative, but to make a normal true to life story come to life on the big screen takes a lot to accomplish. This is a great film with great music; who knows, I might even start listening to country music. Well, maybe that is a little much.

The Skinny Version

Raw Score: 888,112
Sharon Movie? No

Director: Scott Cooper
Writer: Scott Cooper (screenplay) and Thomas Cobb (novel)
Genre: Drama/Music/Romance

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