Friday
Dec252009
Friday, December 25, 2009 at 1:34AM Movie Review - 'Crazy Heart'
| Crazy Heart
Starring Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal  |
Some actors put way too much effort into making you aware that they're really acting. It's more noticeable on TV than in films, because there's more space to fill in a year of television, and very often, TV represents a first shot (or perhaps a first best shot) for struggling performers. To stick in your minds, these actors will add obvious affectations that can actually work against them.
You never see that out of Jeff Bridges. Bridges often plays perceived versions of himself because the roles call for his lived-in approach, but even when he does, he's never bigger than the character.
It is too early to know whether Bridges will finally win the Oscar that has eluded him through four nominations in 35 years but it is never too early to throw his name in the discussion. The film in question this year is Crazy Heart, which does not aim any higher than a convincing end to the journey of its protagonist. Strangely, that's something of a modern miracle; why have studios and writers and directors and producers forgotten that at the end of the day, that really is what we'll remember years after the credits roll?
As expiring country singer-songwriter Bad Blake, Bridges has more authenticity than Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, and any host of performers in the recent spate of musical bio-pics. To be fair, Phoenix and Foxx et al had incredibly big shoes to fill because they were playing bona fide music legends and Bridges is creating something new. But in Crazy Heart you are nevertheless witness to a man who, at one time, breathed that same air and now fills his lungs with whatever circulates in dingy bowling alleys in central New Mexico on a run-of-the-mill Thursday night.
Blake's songs still have their fans, and he is recognized in liquor stores - remarkably enough, still for his career in music than his countless years spent living in a bottle. You can hear the star come through in his songs and you can sense how much Bad Blake resents singing them now, at 57, broke, drunk, and out of melodies and lyrics. If he could do anything else with his life, he probably would.
Reader Comments (2)
A very good story line, real and accurate, excellent acting and very good scenery, filmed out under the New Mexico sky. The music in this film is superb. The song sang by Jeff Bridges called 'hold on you' is one of the best sounding songs to come along in many years.
Wow, the photo here is so nice, i am impressed with the women in your coumtry, they are all so beaufiful.
By Michael air Jordan