Jeff Bridges is excellent, Oscar well deserved!

Rating: 7/10 (12 March 2010)

After having watched the Oscars, its many surprises (Hurt Locker!!!!), and funny banter between Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, I decided to see Crazy Heart to find out if Jeff Bridges really was so outstanding.
He plays the role of Bad Blake, a very talented country musician who has struggled his entire life with alcoholism and therefore finds himself broke and aimlessly touring the country, playing in dodgy venues, at around 60 years of age. During one such stop over he meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal, also nominated for an Oscar as best supporting actress), a pretty, young journalist who wants to interview him.
Jean comes across as slightly needy and lonely, the type who is drawn to the wrong kind of guys. She surrenders quickly to Bad's charisma and they end up falling heavily for each other. Their chemistry is extremely believable and almost palpable at times. I very much enjoyed their on-screen time together.
But Jean is also the mother of a four year old boy and problems arise as Bad's alcoholism severely gets in the way of the development of a healthy relationship between them. She is infatuated by him and admires him, trying to see past his weaknesses and addiction, but must protect what she loves most, her son. Bad wants to turn his life around, unmasking his softer side as he desperately searches for some joy and comfort, but as one line in the film goes, "it's too little, too late".
Colin Farrell does a surprising and commendable representation of Tommy, a famous and thriving country singer who learned what he knows from Bad and tries to help him in his career. They both sing quite remarkably and most of all make it look very, very natural. I'm not a lover of country music but I found the tracks enjoyable, particularly "The Weary Kind" which won an Oscar for best original song.
Jeff Bridges sings and performs with ease and seems to have been made for this role. His Oscar is very well deserved and the movie satisfying without being a masterpiece. Bridges' strong and impressive performance is what really carries this film.
My rating: 7 Fabio's: 7 Total score: 14 For more reviews please visit http://paulinasmovies.blogspot.com