wonderful performances but average film

Rating: Null/10 (22 February 2010)

All the Oscar hype for Jeff Bridges is indeed warranted. In fact, the main reason to see the film has to be to observe his wonderful performance. The film itself is typical of most independent fare. It's slow, meticulous and plodding but still manages to deliver enough to keep a viewer barely interested. At times, I liked this film better than The Wrestler (to which it is often compared) but at times it wasn't as gripping or intense as that film. Overall, it's a pleasant experience. Bridge's performance reaches greatness even if the story itself does not. It's well worth the watch for the acting but it's certainly not a film to own or watch more than once.