Gentle heart

Rating: 6/10 (9 May 2015)

Although the film is described as drama, it's very much downbeat romantic drama, which makes the final twenty minutes a disappointment.
Jeff Bridges gives a suitably unflattering performance as washed-up alcoholic country singer Bad Blake. Whilst the Oscar might be overdoing it, it's a solid performance and Bad is suitably touching in his interactions with Buddy, Bad's journist girlfriend Jean's son (Maggie Gyllenhall).
There is as you might have guessed an age-gap between Bad and Jean. Whilst I could believe in his relationship with Jean in the context of her son, as a loving friendship, I found their sexual relationship a little unsavoury. It's not that it's graphic but it's just a bit unpleasant, considering Bad is not only much older than her, he's in bad shape. To be fair, she doesn't see the extent to which he is an alcoholic.
As a romantic drama with some country music to reflect the bluesy nature of Bad's alcoholism, the film worked. But- and this is where the SPOILER comes in- the film falls at the final hurdle. After the moment when Bad hits his low point as he loses Jean's son, Jean tells him to sober up and not come back again. He seemingly sobers up pretty darn quickly with no real side effects and whilst I understand that this is because he needs to do it for his own health, the film implies that Jean will one day allow him back in to rebuild the relationship. Eighteen months down the line, Bad has written a nice song (naturally inspired by Jean, although lyrically not seeming to be relevant) and his career is back on track. Jean turns up and what do you know, she's engaged to a 'nice' man. We do see some character development as Bad takes the news gracefully, but seeing as she was meant to be in love with the guy, would she so readily bounce into bed with someone else? The way she says 'nice' also indicates that she's marrying him purely for the security, which makes her a pretty weak character. It would have been much better to see her doing well in her own right rather than a hasty marriage to counteract her troubled relationship with Bad.
NO MORE SPOILERS: The songs are a bit samey but not unpleasant. Colin Farrell has a surprisingly good cameo as Tommy Sweet, Bad's protégé.
Crazy Heart is fine if you want a gentle downbeat film; it just either needed more grit or more sweetness, rather than sweetness that sours.