Review of Crazy Heart (2009) by Paul W — 01 Mar 2011

This is one of the better films I've seen in a long while. It helps that I'm a fan of Jeff Bridges and Robert Duvall. Despite my personal apathy towards both Maggie Gyllenhaal and loathing of Colin Farrell, the film was perfectly cast. Even the hopelessly bad Farrell is, for me, a perfect fit as the generic Nashville sell-out opposite Bridge's "real country" (who, perfectly enough, lives in Houston, Texas and plays his old song in a dive bar when he's not driving all night to the next dumpy show in the far flung southwest). Bridges performance is well-deserving of recognition. He nails it.

I'm a non-practicing partisan of the new/Nashville scene versus the real/Texas scene, so I greatly appreciate any reference to Billy Joe Shaver. Doubly so when made by Robert Duvall.

This the man versus himself story and in the end, to me at least, it's a happy and satisfying ending. In the middle, you cringe and hope and cry for this guy and want him to make it even if he is a bit of an asshole throughout. You can't tell he's close to breakthrough until it happens and it's a nice surprise. Just a really wonderful, insightful film. Definitely an A+ and I don't grade on a curve.