A fabulous baker boy meets the Wrestler

Rating: 8/10 (18 February 2010)

I liked this movie and I think Jeff Bridges has done a great job. But is this enough for the Oscar?
It's been 20 years since he played a musician. This time he moves from jazz to country and he's a little older. It starts just like the Wrestler, where I believe Mickey Rourke has done a much better job (having a much better script) and then comes a beautiful story but I'm not going too spoil it too much because I think this movie should be watched.
I was amazed to find out that Bridges actually plays guitar and even released an album where he plays acoustic guitar. When I watched the movie I thought he should have learned to strum for this part but now I realize it's the director fault that I wasn't convinced that he can actually play. His right hand (the strumming hand) didn't feel right; he seemed to only move the wrist (without the arm) which, of course, doesn't really work. His left hand was more convincing but still one time when he is shown changing from a G chord to a C chord his fingers move too slow and not simultaneous. If the guitar isn't convincing the singing is a big surprise. Jeff Bridges can sing!
If Bridges is not a great guitar player he is certainly a great actor. There's nothing more to say about him. Just great. Robert Duvall has a small part which adds value. Colin Farrell has a small part too and he acts fantastic. He can also sing very well. His accent is also perfect... you don't see too many guys from Dublin singing country music! I think Maggie Gyllenhaal acting wasn't really consistent and sometimes I didn't even believe she meant what she was saying. I may be wrong, she may have earned her Oscar nomination.
The script has some flaws, some things are too predictable and some aren't justified. Spoiler: How can Bad lose Buddy in that bar? The bar was empty, the kid went in a direction that had no other exits, the bartender (a guy in his fifties) was facing the exit almost the whole time and more than that, Bad was in a good shape. I had nightmares about losing a child at the mall and I'm sure it can happen quite fast but it's never going to happen like this.
Compared to the Wrestler, it's not as good. Bridges isn't as good as Rourke. Still, it's a great movie.