Crazy Heart

"Crazy Heart" was written and directed by Scott Cooper. It stars Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, and Colin Farrell. The movie is based off the novel by Thomas Cobb.

Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) used to be a hugely successful country singer. Decades later he's estranged from his son, four times divorced, struggling with alcoholism and trying to make a comeback in his career since playing at bowling alleys isn't the first place he'd like to do a show. Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist about 30 years his junior, comes into his life. At first it's on a business basis as she is interviewing him, then it turns into a romantic relationship. So yeah, the whole movie is him trying to improve his life and his relationships. Robert Duvall plays Bad Blake's friend, Wayne Kramer, and Colin Farrell plays Tommy Sweet, a young country singer that Bad Blake worked with years before.

The main reason this was such a great movie is Jeff Bridges. He has been nominated four times for an Academy Award and has lost each time. If the Academy has any idea whatsoever what they are doing then this will be the year Jeff Bridges finally gets his Oscar. He is fantastic in this movie. Every single scene he is in, whether he's alone or interacting with another character is believable. He becomes Bad Blake; it's hard to imagine another actor in the role. Every drink he takes and every word he sings is just so real. There's a sympathy for a character who has seen better days, or years even. There's a sincerity to the character, that he actually wants to change his life. And he's not a bad country singer either...of course I have little or nothing to compare him to. It's great seeing him in this movie after seeing him play The Dude in "The Big Lebowski"...such drastically different roles in case you didn't realize it. He works great with the other cast members as well, mainly Maggie Gyllenhaal. I normally do not like her. I felt she was the weak link in the otherwise fantastic cast of "The Dark Knight." She is not bad at all in "Crazy Heart." Despite the pretty big age difference she has something resembling chemistry with Jeff Bridges. She also got an Oscar nomination this year.

The movie looks very nice. Visually it's nothing spectacular or unusual. You have your beautiful landscape shots and your close ups and such. It just fits very well for this movie. I am impressed that this is Scott Cooper's first film. What a fantastic start to his career. He also wrote and produced the movie, which usually works out well since he has the majority of the creative control and the assumption is the end result is how he envisioned it.

At times the pace can be a bit slow...But that's not really a legitimate criticism because it's never gets boring.

Jeff Bridges is winning that Oscar. His performance was one of the best of 2009...and there were some unbelievably great performances by various talented actors and actresses. The rest of the cast, the story, the songs - yes, I didn't mention it before but it's all original songs, including the Oscar nominated "The Weary Kind" - all come together to form a great, well made movie...engaging and memorable...one of the best of 2009. 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend this, even if it's later on in life and you rent it...of course if you don't like country music that is probably an automatic turn off for you...but come on...Jeff Bridges.

-Joseph Sbrilli