CRAZY HEART (2009)

 

For a film that is riddled with cinematic cliches, CRAZY HEART is nevertheless a thoroughly enjoyable watch. One reason for that is Jeff Bridges, an actor so talented and so likable that it's always a pleasure to watch him do anything. His sensitive portrayal of Otis "Bad" Blake, a once successful country singer who is in the midst of a professional and personal decline, is believable and heartbreaking. Although the Blake character is one we've all seen before, Bridges wisely underplays the role and makes it seem totally original. The other reason for enjoying the film is the music. The soundtrack is filled with good, solid country music, some of it performed by Bridges and his co-stars Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall. Farrell plays Tommy Sweet, who was once Blake's singing partner and still considers the older man to be his mentor. Duvall plays an old friend of Blake's who helps him to get sober and turn his life around. 

Duvall, of course, is famous for his portrayal of another alcoholic country singer who tries to turn his life around: Mac Sledge in TENDER MERCIES (1983), a classic film that is completely devoid of cliches. Duvall is also one of the producers of CRAZY HEART, along with first time director Scott Cooper and singer/songwriter T Bone Burnett, who composed some of the music for the film.

Much of the film rings true in spite of the deja vu factor. What doesn't ring true is the romance between the 57 year-old Blake and the much younger divorced mom, Jean Craddock, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. The actress does her best with what the script gives her. But it makes little sense that a young woman who has been burned once by a bad marriage would drift into a relationship with an alcoholic who is old enough to be her father and allow him to become an influence on her four year-old son. Is it just celebrity worship? The attraction-to-bad-boys syndrome? Or is Jean every bit as self-destructive as Blake, albeit in a different way? The movie doesn't tell us. And, honestly, who cares?

So, in keeping with the genre of fallen musicians climbing their way back to redemption, Blake hits rock bottom, sobers up and gets a new lease on life. And we have the happy ending we needed, if not exactly the one we were hoping for. The most interesting thing about the film is what they decided to cut out, as we can see in the extra features included on the Blu-ray. There is a long sequence where Blake goes to meet the 28 year-old son he hasn't seen or spoken to in 24 years. The son is played by Brian Gleason. The encounter between the two men is performed brilliantly and is filled with tension and emotional energy. Not a cliche in sight. Another deleted scene shows Blake relapsing from his sobriety, picking up a woman in a bar, and ending up stranded in the middle of nowhere. Also expertly played and believable. I think they should have left these scenes in and cut out some of the exchanges between Blake and Jean.

Jeff Bridges won an Oscar for his performance in the film. I suspect the award was given for his long career and commendable body of work as much as for this particular role. Whatever the case, the award was much deserved.