Crazy Heart
The acting is good across the board, in spite of writing that lurches between motivations and tempos like a car dropping out of gear. By that measure, it’s not Jeff Bridges, the presumptive Best Actor winner, who does the most impressive work.
It’s Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose character is supposed to seem like she’s searching for something or damaged in some way, but is merely underwritten. I got no sense of who Jean is, what she likes, why she wants to interview Bad Blake to begin with, and ordinarily I prefer that movies not spell out every motivation or Freudian overtone. Here, there’s just not much to spell out in the first place. Well, except that Jean has an Only-In-The-Movies-adorable lispy son the same age Blake’s was when Blake bolted, and you can bet that came through in 128-point font. That Gyllenhaal got this sketch in shape for a Best Supporting nod is a meaner feat than it might sound like, although I don’t see her winning.
Honorable mention should go to Colin Farrell, struggling against a dated ponytail to make tough material interesting. The Tommy Sweet character could really have gone somewhere if the dialogue written for him weren’t so moldy. It’s telling that the best snapshot of that relationship is Sweet’s appearance onstage during Blake’s set; so much passes between the two actors when they can just sing, and not get bogged down with unconvincing lines that try to cram the history of the relationship into a single meeting.
This is not to say that Bridges isn’t excellent; he is (that scene in particular is what will win him the statue). So is his hair, still ducktailing perfectly together in the back after all these years. The performance feels comfortable, and he doesn’t go too far with the drunk mannerisms. But the role is better written than the others, for starters, and although the movie wants us to see the character as pathetic in spite of his still-formidable talent and magnetism, the problem is, it’s still Jeff Bridges in there. I’d knock any of you down to make out with that guy, I don’t care if he’s got a barf loogey in his sideburn, so you can’t really say he disappears into the role.
It sounds like I hated the movie, and I didn’t; I just wanted to like it much more than I did, and it had a lot of problems with its internal rhythms that may stem from the source material, but still took me out of the story a few times. And that coda, uch — a total over-close, the whole thing.
Not everyone gets annoyed by that process stuff, though, and even I didn’t get annoyed until halfway through; the acting absolutely carries it, and it’s the dictionary definition of rising above the material.
Sarah 40, Death Race 18; 10 of 24 categories completed
Tags: bored now Colin Farrell famous boyfriends Jeff Bridges Maggie Gyllenhaal movies Oscars 2010 Death Race
Seconding the white hot love for Jeff Bridges. Had a dream around the time Crazy Heart came out that he and I were married and living in Wyoming and he had a furniture business, and I’ve never been so upset to wake up since the time I was 14 where I dreamed I’d been transported to the set of Newsies.
I still need to see this, though.
Dang, I’M upset you woke up. Did he MAKE the furniture? Because if he’s Jeff Bridges AND he can turn a table leg, you need to take your ass back to bed and GET THAT MAN.
Everything you just said about that movie is exactly how I feel.
The Last Station is opening here (finally) this weekend and I’m dying to see what you have to say about it because I can’t decide if I want to see it or not. Period pieces are always a crapshoot for me.
“Because if he’s Jeff Bridges AND he can turn a table leg, you need to take your ass back to bed and GET THAT MAN.” Hee!
I once sat behind Bridges in the theater. (Weeknight perf on a snowy January night of a lesser Arthur Miller play.) I know you will believe me when I tell you that Bridges, who often looks like grizzled crap onscreen, is a glamorous freaking god in person. His hair is so shiny and glossy, I needed cuff restraints from running my fingers through it during Jeffrey DeMunn’s monologue. Dressed neatly in a blue blazer and slacks. Gracious and polite to those I witnessed him in interaction.
Now, I’ve had my share of celeb sightings. But I’ve seen few out-and-out Movie Stars. Jeff is a Movie Star.
Please pardon me while I mop up my puddle of memory-drool.
As for the flick, I can’t really work up any enthusiasm to see it. I just sorta feel that it’s a movie I’ve seen a frillion times, up to and including the underwritten female role. Boozy loser lands a babe. Woo-freaking-hoo. Now, given that it’s Bridges, I’m willing to seek it out when it gets on tv.
@ Sars: YES HE DID. And the furniture looked like what Bill Pullman made in “While You Were Sleeping.” Good, solid-wood arts & crafts-type stuff. I was really into that dream.
Man. So jell over here.
I went to this movie because I somehow was under the mistaken impression that Gyllenhaal was not going to be in a May-December with Bridges.
Oye.
Yeah.
So I was all, “They’re going to laugh off this ridiculous ‘sexual tension’ any minute and get down to business of father-daughter redemptive relationship action, right…right? ….oh noes…”
I’ve always had a huge soft spot for Jeff Bridges just by virtue of him being my birthday buddy. (December 4, yo! Although Francisco Franco was also born that day, so hmm…) Not to mention his performance in “Fearless,” which was amazing and, yes, fearless.
But for some reason I’m not too eager to see this movie, even though I’m sure he’s great in it. I keep thinking “Wasn’t Robert Duvall already in this movie when it was called ‘Tender Mercies’?”
Blake’s friendship with Duvall’s character is pretty sweet, though. I liked that note. The scene where they go fishing is nice; it doesn’t strain like some of the other scenes.
I also remember thinking that this movie sounded rather like Tender Mercies, but I’ll see it, I’m sure. Even if, unlike Sarah and Kristina, I don’t need to know if he can turn a table leg (though dude probably can, dammit). I remember someone (Gene Siskel?) making a comment years ago (around the release of Fearless, I think) that I really liked, and it hasn’t grown any less true over the years: that Bridges was a character actor trapped in the body of a leading man. attica, your “puddle of memory-drool” account is hilarious!
For me, though, the potential deal-breaker isn’t the more-than-well-worn premise (which, c’mon) but the presence of Farrell, which I somehow avoided knowing about until now. Uch.
I loved that fishing scene, especially where Blake is so quietly proud of the song he wrote, so good that it “can’t be fucked up.” You can tell that he was really filled with dread that he’d come to the end of the line, that there was no more left in the well, and the fact that he concocted this little gem was the reward he got for living the life he had, and than ending living that way when he did.
I read a great interview with MG where she was asked if she was hesitant over taking the role and doing yet another “Guy old enough to be your father BLARGH” take on relationships, and she just basically laughed and said, Hello, it’s JEFF BRIDGES, who is going to say no to that? You and me both, Mags.
This tried my patience, although when I looked back on it, I was able to appreciate some of the little business, where the authenticity and nuance come out of hiding. The argument between Bad Blake and the sound engineer. Tommy taking the stage during Bad’s set, and the tightrope the gesture walks between supportive and upstaging. The scene in which Bad is informed by the bowling alley people that he still has to pay for his drinks. Best of all, the interaction between Bad and the young guitarist/bandleader for the first Nowheresville gig we see — the way the kid tries to be deferential and respectful to the big (if faded) name, while wrapping his head around how unprofessional and checked-out the guy is.
It’s a curious movie: a lot of convincing small moments surrounding unconvincing big ones. I could hardly believe or understand anything about the Jean character, and that ultimately inflicts too big of a wound, because she’s been made too important. (God forbid the Bad character would find redemption and renewal in a relationship with someone within ten years of his own age. Then maybe some actress Bridges co-starred with in the 1970s and 1980s could get some work. Seen Rachel Ward or Karen Allen or Cybill Shepherd in much lately? But of course, the formula is what it is. I was still put off by the movie’s casual cruelty to the few women in it who are nearer Bad’s age, his aging groupies.)
Finally, as even many of Crazy Heart’s admirers have pointed out, it’s awfully close to The Wrestler (hope you’ve seen that funny synopsis on line with all of The Wrestler’s variables crossed out and replaced with those of CzH), and that was more than a little better, especially in the parameters and motivations established for its love story.
The songs by T-Bone Burnett, et al, are excellent, though. I still have “I Don’t Know” in my head.
I’ll be shocked if anyone other than Bridges wins, but he’s been this good or better, with better material, without being nominated (notably, 2004’s The Door In The Floor). I’d give it to Colin Firth, but I don’t have a vote.
“Blake’s friendship with Duvall’s character is pretty sweet, though. I liked that note. The scene where they go fishing is nice; it doesn’t strain like some of the other scenes.”
Yeah, I liked this a lot. When Blake gets out of rehab, Duvall’s character picks him up and says “I’m gonna help you with it,” and I was so moved by that. I can’t explain it; maybe it’s that I’m going through a rough time that seems unending and am thus sensitive to kindness, but it warmed my heart.
I didn’t see the Blake/Jean romance coming either; I thought it would be more of a father/daughter thing. And when she’s tearfully saying goodbye to him, she says she loves him and I thought, “Why?” It was never explained. I can see why Blake would be drawn to her, but I had no sense of why she’d enter into a relationship with him. Was she lonely? Daddy issues? Desperate for a father for Buddy? (And while Buddy was cute, I kept wondering if his on-the-birth-certificate name was actually Buddy.) And what did she actually do with the interview she conducted – was it published?
My friend and I turned to each other when Colin Farrell showed up and we were like “Let’s see how badly he fucks up the Southern accent.” We were both pleasantly surprised.
he’s been this good or better, with better material, without being nominated (notably, 2004’s The Door In The Floor)
@Todd K: Ow. Ow. Owwww. Man, I haaaaaated that movie. But now that I think about it, maybe it wasn’t Jeff. Perhaps it was the screenplay and direction that so pissed me off. I remember leaving the theater in a haze of ‘fucking misogynists!’ fury. I was well pleased that flick got overlooked at awards time, as bait-ful as it was.
Which is no reflection on you, of course. My pain is not your doing. :)
I was impressed by Colin Farrell all around, I didn’t think he’d be able to sing that well or pull off the accent and he did quite well on both counts (he must’ve had a much better dialect coach for this movie than he has for others.) I’m one that doesn’t hate him though so that he did so well was not a huge shock to me.
I go back and forth on Maggie Gyllenhaal, I thought she was hilarious in Away We Go and kind of bland in this. I wish Diane Kruger or Melanie Laurent had gotten her spot at the Oscars.
My mother passed down her love of the Bridges boys to me, and I’m not at all ashamed to admit that a big part of why I rented Starman, Against All Odds, and Tron are to ogle Jeff’s ass. Goddamn but it was a thing of beauty in the 80s. And of course I’m of the generation that worships The Dude, long may he abide.
I write for and post on country music websites, and the generally consenus is “Wait…..that’s Colin Farrell?? Really? Huh.” Though the in joke in country circles is that he twanged it up a little bit too much. They seemed to be aiming for Keith Urban and hit Jamey Johnson. Other than that, they NAILED 70’s Outlaw Country.
I am a little surprised that “The Weary Kind” is getting all the awards love instead of “Fallin’ and Flyin'” because the later seemed more of a main title theme.
I would say that Bridges lost himself in the role to some degree. When I saw him on the stage for the first time I thought “Hey! Waylon!” cause he nailed it right down to the sunglasses.
I had heard some chatter that Bad Blake was patterned after Townes Van Zandt; is there any indication in the movie that this is the case? If it is, I’ll be getting hold of this movie one way or another. If not, eh.
I do love Robert Duvall, though. He’s like the uncle who buys you cool stuff and beats the everloving daylights out of the bully next door. He will forever have my goodwill because of “Secondhand Lions”, which is really saying something, given the fact that Haley Joel “How’d that lemon get there?” Osment was also in it.
Jay: According to articles the original author of the novel patterned Badd after Hank Thompson, the director patterned him after Merle Haggard, T-Bone Burnett thought him to be like co-writer Stephen Brunton and Jeff Bridges researched Willie, Waylon, Johnny, Kris, Townes and various others. As far as what I saw in the movie, while Jeff Bridges looks like Kris Kristofferson (I don’t think he really had a choice there) I saw a lot more Waylon Jennings and and Johnny Cash. The arragement and vocal work on The Weary Kind seemed very Townes Van Zandt-ish though. (Ryan Bingham penned The Weary Kind).
Also, trivia: Stephen Bruton wrote Fallin and Flyin. He died while the movie was being made.
Thanks, Stormy! Good to know I’m not quite senile just yet. And Bridges DEFINITELY looks like Kristofferson, although that flatters Kristofferson considerably.
I don’t know that looking like Kristofferson was a choice so much as a “wow, Jeff Bridges and Kris Kristofferson look a lot a like with the same haircut” thing.
Oh, but you don’t mention the music in your review! Which was reason enough, at least for me, to see and enjoy the film. I thought the music was terrific, Jeff Bridges was terrific, and there were enough small, lovely grace notes that it carried the things I didn’t like (ie. the romance, the odd pacing). I’ve been listening to the soundtrack since I saw Crazy Heart, and it just gets better and better.
Yes, yes, yes, to all points, except the making out part, but I get it.
I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal was great, but I can’t help asking: Could they not cast an actress within 25 years of Jeff Bridges’ age to play that part? Someone who could suggest a bit more life experience to explain what you point out is missing from the screenplay?
Felt bad for Robert Duvall, too, when (twice!) he had to say, “Hey, Bad, I bet something interesting happened to you, could you tell me how you feel about it?” (I’m paraphrasing. Barely.)