Crazy Heart 2009
Although Jeff Bridges won the Oscar for his portrayal of a down and out country music legend, this movie wasn’t high on my list to watch. For one thing I don’t like country music that much. Also it seemed a little bit too easy of a role for Bridges to play, a boozing, road-weary old timer romancing a much younger Maggie Gyllenhaal. This isn’t a guy I really want to know. But the movie still has some rewards. Yeah, you will see Jeff Bridges stumbling around or passed out in his underwear more than anyone needs to see. But the story itself is one of redemption as Bridges meets his muse and starts taking steps to straighten out his life. So often in real life we see tragic stories of has-been performers who fade away and eventually die of a drug overdose. So it is nice to see Bridges playing a guy who is trying (often failing) to put it all back together. Some will be turned off by the ending, but I thought it hit the right note and was pretty realistic. Gyllenhaal and Bridges are both very good, bringing what could have been a tired plot to life with gritty heartfelt performances. Definitely worth watching and the country music wasn’t that bad either. I’ll give this a B+.
Written: 12 Feb 2012