Crazy Heart (2009)

Crazy Heart: Directed by Scott Cooper. With Jeff Bridges, James Keane, Anna Felix, Paul Herman. A faded country music musician is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.

“In his directorial debut, Scott Cooper adapts Thomas Cobbu0026#39;s Crazy Heart, the story of Bad Blake, a washed-up country star with an alcohol addiction. The film stars Jeff Bridges, in the lead role, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Jean, a young reporter is taken in by Blakeu0026#39;s heartache and pain.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCooperu0026#39;s direction is of subtle greatness. The film is quiet, slow-paced, but works. Itu0026#39;s never meant to be loud or over-the-top, which some may be expecting; itu0026#39;s a beautiful written song about life thrust into a two-hour sympathy riot. Bridges, who will surely receive Oscar attention, is reserved, charismatic, and raw. Bridgesu0026#39; 58-year-old Blake is one of the better performances of the year. There are obvious comparisons to Robert Duvallu0026#39;s performance Tender Mercies, with critics believing a possibly similarity to Mickey Rourkeu0026#39;s work in The Wrestler, which is certainly not the case, this is unique in its own way. Bridges doesnu0026#39;t overcook the role which would have been easy, heu0026#39;s effortless and sings quite well.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMaggie Gyllenhaal, Oscar snubbed for her works in Sherrybaby and World Trade Center, is nearly average in her work. Sheu0026#39;s coy with Jean and underplays her, but unlike Bad Blake, her role doesnu0026#39;t call for it. Jean is a bruised, kindhearted, and devoted mother to her four-year old son Buddy (Jack Nation, as cute as can be), but uneven in narrative forming.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eRobert Duvall is brief, and nearly ineffectual. As the bar owner Wayne, he offers a humanity for Blake outside of woman, which is needed in the film, but in the end is unmemorable. Also sharing this boat is the talented Colin Farrell, whou0026#39;s both likable and adequate, but upstaged by scenes with Bridges.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe only thing more beautiful than Bridgesu0026#39; performance is the song u0026quot;The Weary Kind,u0026quot; which is submission for Best Original Song for the Academy Awards. This is one of the best songs written for a film in the last ten years. Delightful lyrics and exquisitely executed, the song one of the rare occasions of the perfect song for a perfect film, given the filmu0026#39;s nature.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile Crazy Heart doesnu0026#39;t offer anything insightful to the realm of cinema, itu0026#39;s simple, uncomplicated, and honest, which you canu0026#39;t appreciate. For a first time out, Cooper does an admirable job.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e***/****”