If Colin Farrell was asked to play Barney the Dinosaur, he'd make the role Oscar worthy. Seriously. The Dinosaur.
Crazy Heart
starring Jeff Bridges, Ryan Bingham, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell
directed by Scott Cooper
So the Golden Globes came around this year, and a little movie called Crazy Heart won a few awards. I had seen posters for the movie and I believe I had seen the trailer at least once, but my interest didn’t peak until I saw that Jeff Bridges won the best actor Globe for his performance. The main song in the flick “The Weary Kind” written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett also won best song at the Globes. So suffice to say, the respect from the acting community that Crazy Heart received made me even more excited to get out and see it. Who’d have thought; Jeff Bridges, singing country music.
Bad Blake (Bridges) is an old, washed up country and western singer and songwriter. He was once famous, but now he is broke mostly due to his alcoholism and his bad boy image catching up with him; not to mention he hasn’t written a new song in three years, and the record executives think he is washed up. He’s been reduced to traveling the states playing bowling alleys and small bar venues with pick up bands along the way. Its in one of these towns he meets Jean Craddock (Gyllenhaal), a reporter for a small newspaper. She interviews him, and they hit it off; its the first feelings of love Bad has had in a long time. Bad ends up landing a gig as the opening act for his former protege Tommy Sweet (Farrell). Bad has mixed feelings about it, but its a chance to get his career back on the road. But just as it seems to be getting better for Bad Blake, his alcoholism threatens his new found love and opportunity. Life becomes a roller coaster, and whether he likes the consequences or not, he just might find the inspiration to write music again.
This movie is all about the performances. Maggie Gyllenhaal reminds she knows how to play a serious role with Jean Craddock. She emboddies a concerned mother, a deep lover, and a torn woman, all through a wonderful screen presence. Colin Farrell was a treat in this film; first off, he was not mentioned in the advertising, so his appearance is a complete suprise. Secondly, he plays an up and coming Country Singer. Yeah, the Irish Beau can pull off a southern twang and he can hold a tune; if that really was his voice we heard. But most importantly, the reason to go out and see this film, is Jeff Bridges. We all know Jeff can act; but it has been some time since we’ve seen a multi-level emotional performance from the actor. Bridges commands the screen as Bad Blake; he makes the chain smoking, functioning alcoholic singer come to life and seem like someone you would watch a VH1 Behind The Music about. Though he never cries, the range of emotion Bridges brings to his eyes, and just the right amount of crack to his voice is unbelievable. And yes, he does all the singing and guitar playing. Indeed, the Golden Globe is well deserved.
The plot is alright. It is simple in a good way; the film makers tell the story of a washed up country singer hitting rock bottom very clearly and very well. It always keeps you interested, and though it does have a circular plot, it is a stellar character piece. However, there will be comparisons to last year’s The Wrestler. Even with a few different characters and circumstances, the plots for both films are very similar. And let’s not forget that Mickey Rourke also won the Golden Globe for his performance in The Wrestler. The similarities are there, and I think its fair to say the fact takes away some originality from Crazy Heart; whether the writers intended it or not.
The film is not all tears and sorrow, though. Bridges has plenty of zinging one liners that will make you chuckle; the best example of Bad Blake’s disposition is when we first meet him. He steps out of his beat up vehicle from a long drive, dumps out a jug of piss, and buckles his pants as if its no big deal. First time director Scott Cooper did a great job and I hope we see more from him in the future. Keep doing them this way, Cooper, and you’ll have a long successful career. As for the Oscars; Do I think Jeff Bridges will be nominated? Without a doubt. Is he a shoe in for a win? Not necessarily. The performance was Oscar worthy, but I’ve seen others this year just as worthy. Go see the film, reader. You won’t regret seeing the strange yet beautiful tale of a broken down country singer’s Crazy Heart.
Pick up your crazy heart, give it one more try.
If Colin Farrell was asked to play Barney the Dinosaur, he'd make the role Oscar worthy. Seriously. The Dinosaur.
Crazy Heart
starring Jeff Bridges, Ryan Bingham, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell
directed by Scott Cooper
So the Golden Globes came around this year, and a little movie called Crazy Heart won a few awards. I had seen posters for the movie and I believe I had seen the trailer at least once, but my interest didn’t peak until I saw that Jeff Bridges won the best actor Globe for his performance. The main song in the flick “The Weary Kind” written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett also won best song at the Globes. So suffice to say, the respect from the acting community that Crazy Heart received made me even more excited to get out and see it. Who’d have thought; Jeff Bridges, singing country music.
Bad Blake (Bridges) is an old, washed up country and western singer and songwriter. He was once famous, but now he is broke mostly due to his alcoholism and his bad boy image catching up with him; not to mention he hasn’t written a new song in three years, and the record executives think he is washed up. He’s been reduced to traveling the states playing bowling alleys and small bar venues with pick up bands along the way. Its in one of these towns he meets Jean Craddock (Gyllenhaal), a reporter for a small newspaper. She interviews him, and they hit it off; its the first feelings of love Bad has had in a long time. Bad ends up landing a gig as the opening act for his former protege Tommy Sweet (Farrell). Bad has mixed feelings about it, but its a chance to get his career back on the road. But just as it seems to be getting better for Bad Blake, his alcoholism threatens his new found love and opportunity. Life becomes a roller coaster, and whether he likes the consequences or not, he just might find the inspiration to write music again.
This movie is all about the performances. Maggie Gyllenhaal reminds she knows how to play a serious role with Jean Craddock. She emboddies a concerned mother, a deep lover, and a torn woman, all through a wonderful screen presence. Colin Farrell was a treat in this film; first off, he was not mentioned in the advertising, so his appearance is a complete suprise. Secondly, he plays an up and coming Country Singer. Yeah, the Irish Beau can pull off a southern twang and he can hold a tune; if that really was his voice we heard. But most importantly, the reason to go out and see this film, is Jeff Bridges. We all know Jeff can act; but it has been some time since we’ve seen a multi-level emotional performance from the actor. Bridges commands the screen as Bad Blake; he makes the chain smoking, functioning alcoholic singer come to life and seem like someone you would watch a VH1 Behind The Music about. Though he never cries, the range of emotion Bridges brings to his eyes, and just the right amount of crack to his voice is unbelievable. And yes, he does all the singing and guitar playing. Indeed, the Golden Globe is well deserved.
The plot is alright. It is simple in a good way; the film makers tell the story of a washed up country singer hitting rock bottom very clearly and very well. It always keeps you interested, and though it does have a circular plot, it is a stellar character piece. However, there will be comparisons to last year’s The Wrestler. Even with a few different characters and circumstances, the plots for both films are very similar. And let’s not forget that Mickey Rourke also won the Golden Globe for his performance in The Wrestler. The similarities are there, and I think its fair to say the fact takes away some originality from Crazy Heart; whether the writers intended it or not.
The film is not all tears and sorrow, though. Bridges has plenty of zinging one liners that will make you chuckle; the best example of Bad Blake’s disposition is when we first meet him. He steps out of his beat up vehicle from a long drive, dumps out a jug of piss, and buckles his pants as if its no big deal. First time director Scott Cooper did a great job and I hope we see more from him in the future. Keep doing them this way, Cooper, and you’ll have a long successful career. As for the Oscars; Do I think Jeff Bridges will be nominated? Without a doubt. Is he a shoe in for a win? Not necessarily. The performance was Oscar worthy, but I’ve seen others this year just as worthy. Go see the film, reader. You won’t regret seeing the strange yet beautiful tale of a broken down country singer’s Crazy Heart.