High quality cinematic experience.

Rating: 10/10 (2 February 2010)

Hollywood is full of surprises. Just when you're ready to throw in the towel and groan in despair that EVERYTHING Hollywood produces is trite garbage, along comes a movie like this one that not only is well acted but actually has a comprehensible and respectable story. Jeff Bridges gives a strong and masterful performance as a broken down singer whose life is in shambles. He succeeds in engaging and keeping the audience's attention and brings a complex and troubled character to life. It is a performance worthy of special recognition. The rest of the cast is also excellent, especially Maggie Gyllenhaal whose presence adds immeasurably to the movie's watchability. The chemistry between Jeff and Maggie is intense and remains so throughout the movie as the audience watches their cinematic relationship evolve. What makes this movie especially effective is that it avoids becoming just another piece of corny hokum and stays on course as the characters work through their situations. Plausibility and creativity are at work resulting in a high quality cinematic experience.