Movie Review: Crazy Heart

by Ellen Sterling

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jeff Bridges
Photo courtesy of Lorey Sebastian/20th Century Fox

On January 1, I posted my selections for the Best Films of 2009. When I did I wrote about seven movies, noting that since so many movies do not open in Las Vegas when they open elsewhere, I’d save a few spots for those latecomers to our city. One that I was particularly anxious to see was Crazy Heart, which opened about five weeks ago in other markets. It was well worth waiting for.

Written and directed by Scott Cooper, based on the novel by Thomas Cobb, Crazy Heart is a direct linear descendant of the 1983 Robert Duvall movie, Tender Mercies. That was one of my favorite films ever. I am partial to Duvall and to good films about good country music — you know, the kind of music Hank, Waylon, Merle and Willie, among others, play; music that makes what is called country today sound like cotton candy fluff — music I had to seek out as an adult because, growing up in New York, we never heard it on the radio.

But, the good news is that you don’t have to love the music to love the film.

Crazy Heart is the story of Bad Blake, a singer-songwriter whose best years are way behind him. He’s sinking hopelessly into alcohol and oblivion and it is just about certain that his next big adventure will be death. Then he meets Jean, a single mom who is a reporter for the local newspaper. It is, simply, the story of one man’s redemption — set to some terrific music.

Everyone is saying that Jeff Bridges, who plays Bad Blake, is a shoo-in for the Academy Award and I really hope so. His performance — both acting and singing — is flawless. He was always a fine actor and one of those too frequently overshadowed by peers who were flashier or, perhaps trendier. Now he should get his due.

Robert Duvall is his friend and Maggie Gyllenhaal the love interest. The surprise in the cast, billed way down in the credits, is Colin Farrell as Tommy Sweet, the southern country singer mentored by Bad who has now taken the spotlight from his mentor.

The music in the film is the work of T-Bone Burnett whom many filmgoers know from his work on O Brother Where Art Thou? and the late Stephen Bruton. The 22-song soundtrack they produced is wondrous, filled with music by the likes of George Jones, Waylon Jenings, the Louvin Brothers, Buck Owens, Lucinda Williams and, of course, Bridges, Farrell and Duvall.

I didn’t get to see Crazy Heart in time for a 2009 Best-of List, but I have a feeling it might still be here at the end of 2010.

Please see this movie.

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