"It's funny how fallin' feels like flyin'".

Rating: 6/10 (10 October 2010)

I was drawn to pick up this film based on reviews of Jeff Bridges' performance. As the character Bad Blake, he's very good. But the picture itself is, well, pretty bad. My own reaction about half way through was immortalized by that phone booth Blake made a call to Jeannie from in the middle of the prairie. Seriously, what the heck was that phone booth doing there? I could belabor the point, but you know, I just couldn't stop laughing when I saw that.
Was there a point to this movie? I followed along just fine, but the pacing really bogged down after Bad lost Buddy. Where'd the kid go anyway? And above all, what did Jeannie (Maggie Gylllenhaal) ever see in Bad Blake to begin with? It's not like she seemed infatuated with his celebrity, what little of it might have been left by the time she interviewed him. What was the attraction? Bad could hardly stand up most of the time, and he apologized for his sleazy motel room more than once. It sure wasn't a physical thing, a blind woman could tell that Bad was no catch. I just didn't get it.
At least when Bridges got to sing, he didn't sound half Bad. Sorry, couldn't resist the pun. Other than that, I'd hate to go out on a limb and recommend the film as something you just have to see. That would be a bum steer. That would also be Bad Blake's back up band on the road in New Mexico. Couldn't resist that one either.