Review of Crazy Heart (2009) by Dc E — 07 Feb 2012

A great performance from Jeff Bridges saves "Crazy Heart" from being merely mediocre.

Bridges plays Otis "Bad" Blake, a washed-up former country star who now plays in dive bars across the country. He can't stay sober, hasn't ever spoken to his now adult son, and seems to hate his current fan base. Along the way he meets a reporter for a paper in a small town (Gyllenhaal) and the two start a relationship.

The problem is that while I found the character of Bad Blake to be interesting, I had a hard time staying interested in the movie itself. The relationship that the movie revolves around, the very relationship that Blake feels will turn his life around, fell flat to me. Despite the Oscar buzz for the two actors, I didn't buy their on-screen romance. Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall both do excellent jobs in supporting roles, however.

Another positive was the music. I personally have a deep seeded hatred for the country music genre, but found myself humming several songs long after the movie ended. The excellent music, along with Bridge's acting really saved this movie from being average to below average.

Anyway, Bridges deserved the Oscar nomination and even perhaps the win ... but the movie itself could have been better.

10 Scale Rating: 6.0 ...