Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges earns his Oscar in a movie that lives up to expectations

With all the Oscar buzz around Jeff Bridges’ performance in Crazy Heart, it seemed necessary to check the movie out. He was up against Hollywood stalwarts such as Morgan Freeman, Colin Firth, George Clooney and Jeremy Renner.

The minute you see Bridges on the widescreen you immediately feel sorry for him and warm to him. He plays Bad Blake, a washed-up and drunk country singer with a talent for writing best selling songs. He is 57, broke and playing gigs in bowling alleys.

He meets aspiring journalist, Jean, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, who interviews him and falls in love with him. By the time he realises he has fallen for her his drinking is out of control and he messes up again. Yes, it is a predictable story but you can’t help liking Blake’s character. His relationship with Gyllenhaal isn’t very believable, akin to beauty and the beast. It focuses on the human side to a has-been singer and you want him to pick himself up and get the girl in the end.

Bridges is perfectly cast as Bad Blake and this movie is a notch on his career belt.    The character of Tommy Sweet, a country and western star, is played by our own Colin Farrell. He plays the character well and has a good country accent. The music consists of country music tales of woe from T-Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton.    Bridges deserves his Oscar this time, especially for his contribution to movies over the years.