Pleasantly minimalist and devoid of melodrama

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2010)

Without wasting a shot, the first sequence lays all the cards on the table. An over-the-hill (57 as we later discover), alcoholic country singer in a banged up pickup arrives in front of a bowling alley cum bar in a desolate town in New Mexico. This down-in-the-dumps gig is the only thing his agent can offer him, as he still entertains illusions of gravy trains from his heydays. On the phone, the agent tells him that his only chance of bringing some life back to a dead career is his talent for writing songs, but said talent seems to have drowned in a sea of booze. While he still has some loyal fans, the gig ends in a sour note as he disappears in the middle of a favourite number to throw up, and comes back just as the band is finishing the last chord. Still, the loyal fans applause, and he is not ungrateful.
While this movie could succumb into having Bad Blake descend into an emotional infernal of ruin or rise in a soaring uplifting redemption. Instead, it is a minimalist portray of a slice of this man's life. There is redemption, but not the sort of living-happily-ever-after crowd pleaser, thereby putting it a notch above, say, the "The blind side" (which is itself not such a bad movie, crowd pleaser notwithstanding). "Crazy heart" is the sort of movie that has no villains. If you really want one, it's the protagonist himself. Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a local reporter and young mother with an adorable boy of 4, is the redeeming angel. Old friend Wayne is always there when needed, and he himself a redeemed ex-alcoholic capable of fully empathizing with our protagonist's predicament. Even someone that initially sounds like an enemy turns out to be a friend – his protégé Tommy (Colin Farrell) who seems to have usurped his place. The truth is of course that he has thrown it away himself while Tommy, always grateful to his mentor, is doing everything he can to help.
Rather than an emotional roller-coaster, this movie gives you a detailed, realistic depiction of the protagonist and his relationship with the other characters. First and foremost is of course Jean, and here the challenge is to make this connection between the two unlikely soul mates believable. Again minimalism works. Starting with the interview Bad gives Jean in his motel room, feelings of mutual affection flow out from the two ever so gently. Even at his not-quite-top form, Bad's natural, easy charm is very palpable. With that also is his longing, deep down, after four failed marriages, for the sort of enduring care he never had. With a failed relationship of her own (for which the movie wisely does not give any detail), Jean's gentle vulnerability translates into empathy and understanding. Gyllenhaal does a wonderful job with her character, and deserves an Oscar from her nomination, although very unlikely to get it.
The relationship with Tommy is similarly underplayed, coming across not so much in dialogue as in music, and country music is the best medium for projecting this natural, simple friendship. Not to be missed is the duet they perform on stage in Tommy's concert with Bad as the warm-up act. The harmonizing says more about the mutual appreciation and affection between mentor and protégé than any dialogue can. Bridge's unassuming characterization of Bad has been recognized by two heavy weight awards, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild (and it's not unexpected that the British BAFTA has gone to countryman Colin Firth). Bridges' Bad Blake has a wide spectrum: miserable but not pathetic; confident but not arrogant. This attentive, human portrayal fully deserves an Oscar.
The beautiful, rugged landscape of the south western country makes a statement on its own.