Purely Joyful Movie!

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Great acting by pretty much everyone. Also if you like country music for some reason, that would be a bonus I guess.It's about an old, washed up country singer who is way past his prime, trying to make something good out of his life again.

Crazy Heart (2009): Dir: Scott Cooper / Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Paul Herman: Engaging country music fiction biography about the things one cannot help do wrong. Jeff Bridges plays washed out country music musician Bad Blake who is reduced to performing small bar gigs. He falls for a young journalist who has a child from a previous marriage. Blake sees this as his opportunity at a second chance at family. Director Scott Cooper is backed with a flawless performances by Bridges who knows how far he has fallen but cannot help himself. He attempts happiness with Maggie Gyllenhaal but after his alcohol results in him losing her son, she calls off the relationship. He must pull himself together and attempt to correct his wrongs through songwriting. Gyllenhaal plays the journalist who interviews Blake. She will form a romance as well as introduce her son who looks up to him. Gyllenhaal plays her as intelligent and willing to pull away if need be. Her concluding scene with Bridges provides great closure. Robert Duvall plays a friend of Blake's who helps him with his addiction. Colin Farrell plays a country singer who once opened for Blake. Now Blake writes songs for him with loyalty in tact. Great effort in creating a realistic view of fiction with wonderful music to bring it heart. Score: 9 ½ / 10

If I had to describe "Crazy Heart", I'd call it a country song that's been thrown up onto the big screen. And I say that in the most complimentary fashion because it's the kind of quiet, worn-down cowboy song that sneaks up behind you and does so without being ostentatious or melodramatic.The cast here all hold their own (between Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell), but it's the star turn from Jeff Bridges that really makes this shine. He embodies the pain and self-recrimination of a has-been performer on the downslope of life. Like the rest of the movie, he's organic and the award-winning performance speaks for itself. 7/10

Whether it be The Wrestler or even last year's Birdman, it seems we get a story of a middle aged man nearing the end of what was a great career in something, and is forced to try and put his life together both in and outside of his career. Crazy Heart is right up there with the aforementioned films. Focusing on Bad Blake, a country singer playing in bars and other low paying places after pissing his money away on booze and cigarettes. Played brilliantly by Jeff Bridges, who gives the character just the amount of sympathy needed without it feeling overdone. But the real noteworthy performance here is Maggie Gyllenhaal.A lot of people don't like Gyllenhaal, although I'm not sure why. She may have been a little bit annoying in The Dark Knight, but look at her performances in Donnie Darko, Crazy Heart, and most recently Frank, and tell me she isn't a proved Oscar caliber actress. She is magic when on screen with Bridges. Their relationship is fast moving, and although you don't really get a sense as to why they are so attracted to each other, it really works. This is not only an alcoholic man, but also one that doesn't shy away from his fair share of one-night-stands. So why is Gyllenhaal so different? Well perhaps because she has a son, buddy, who to Blake, is the son that he never had. Rather, the son he chose not to take care of all these years.Rounding out the main cast is Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall who do a great job in their very minor roles. But the core of the story is right there in Bad's relationship with Jean. She is the one person who just may change his bad ways, no pun intended. The film has a very heartwarming feeling throughout even in its darkest moments. I also give the film credit for getting a country music hater, like myself, to really enjoy the movie. It won't change the fact that I still believe all country songs sound the same, but I can appreciate a good film about music. So with Gyllenhaal's emotionally powerful performance and Bridges' equally as impressive portrayal of Bad, Crazy Heart is an acting led picture that succeeds on most of what it sets out to do.+Gyllenhaal's Oscar caliber performance+Bridges is always good+I don't even like country but I like this film+A lot of depth to these characters-So why are they drawn to each other?8.2/10