Crazy Heart (2009)

Before I start - if you are into country (/blues/rock) or maybe even into guitar playing you'll probably enjoy this film even more because you can also connect more than others to its musical content. There is one unwritten rule if you are learning to play the guitar. "If what you play feels/sounds right, it is right". This is exactly what this picture is like. It's like the good old pentatonic scale. The notes may sound familiar but with good execution always work.

This movie not necessarily features a very original basic story and may be quite predictable for parts but its well-fleshed out characters make it feel like that and even more so they make it feel real and honest which is the films overwinning appeal. The movie never hits a false note and plays it sweet, soft and simple. It's the reason why it is so accessable ... besides the brillant performance that is its heart.

I can tell Jeff 'The Dude' Bridges' Oscar was well deserved. He is a special actor and once more actually becomes the character. I never got/get to met Bridges personally for sure (though I'd love to) but he seems to be such a great person and his acting is not from a lesser quality.

He is perfectly cast and plays an old country musician called Bad Blake whose great times are already gone. His career goes downhill and it's been years since he last wrote a new song. He is alcoholic and alone. Bridges is an actor who can let himself go and he really looks like that old, embittered drunkard and pulls it off with great authenticity.

On his trip through the states he is playing in small clubs in small towns - one of them is Santa Fe, Texas. Here he meets a young reporter played by Maggie Gyllenhall. She has a son but has never been happy with a man yet.
She likes Bad a lot but has also doubts because of his alcoholism and fears about her son. Bad on the other hand feels like a father when he is out with the little boy. Gyllenhall's character offers a chance for him to get out of his apathy but it's up to him to change.
It's a very natural chemistry between the two and the romance is subtle and not at any time corny or annoying.

Also Collin Farell appears as Tommy, Bad's guitar student in earlier days and now far more successful than his old mentor. But he has not forgotten what Bad had done for him so he asks Bad to go on tour together and if he could write songs for him. Some new steps there to take for Bad, and he wants to do the right things, he is a good guy. But will some of his decisions come too late? And will all soon be good again for him ... ?

It's a slow but never boring experience that always feels fresh. It moves from one good scene to another and always when you fear it is gonna lose it in the next minute we get a new piece of information, a new characteristic trait and it really works the whole movie through. There is no moment that feels like it was too long or had no substance.

These are lovable, three dimensional characters and we really care for them. We even get a little Robert Duvall in there in a cameo as Bad's good old friend who tries to give advice whereever he can.

The dialog is of very high quality that also delivers some wisdoms for life. It is a very fine, intelligent script written by Scott Cooper who also directed the film and in both cases it was a first time job for him and he did it fantastically.
There are some funny moments, some sad moments and some moments of happiness... and none of them feel forced at any time.

The music written explicitly for the film - and actually really performed by the actors themselves - is beautiful and makes rounds up the whole thing. Yet another academy award there! I already got the best tracks at home!

It is a small film that made only 80,000 $ at the box office on its opening weekend. But then got discovered and appreciated by the critics until it won 2 oscars. It's worth the attention and was one of the best of that year for me. So good that I will actually rebuy it since my brother (supposedly him) lost the first copy of it.

Finally the best argument that I can give you to see this movie is that after the end it left me feeling happy and satisfied and I kept sitting in my chair and listing to the music until the end of the credits ... now if that is not a good sign ...

Annotation: If you are from the United States I can just tell you that the R - Rating is once more a ******* joke! So go watch it with your kids. It really is suitable for any ages.

2nd Annotation: Jeff Bridges released his own album last year by the way. Check it out!