Crazy Heart

Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllehaal
Releasing in cinemas: 18 February 2010
Rated: M

Into the heartland

Can a great performance transcend the movie it appears in? Film theorists would undoubtedly answer no; but every year around Oscar time a fantastic performance is hailed even though its film is generally ignored in the awards ceremonies. Last year it was Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler; this year it’s Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart.

Although Bridges’ towering performance is something to behold, Crazy Heart has several other things going for it. There are some fine supporting performances, a large helping of country music thanks to T-Bone Burnett (who was a producer on the film) and friends, and excellent cinematography of the landscape in the American south-west.

Sadly however all those things can’t make up for the fact that the script – and hence the story – is weak.

Crazy Heart’s central theme – that being a drunk is bad – has certainly been done before, and done better. While the first half of the film is engaging enough, its descent into pathos and 12-step redemption is entirely predictable. It’s almost like a telemovie that grew up, rather than a fully formed cinematic experience.

When we first meet Bridges’ character, Bad Blake, he’s an almost-washed-up country music singer playing bowling alleys and small bars across the West. It’s clear he likes a drink and that it’s taken a toll on him; although he can still rip out a tune with the best of them. A gig in Santa Fe, New Mexico however proves a turning point as Bad meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), an aspiring journalist and somewhat abashed fan. When Jean’s interview turns into something more than just an article in the local paper, it seems things might be looking up for old Bad. Despite the large age gap, Maggie (who’s divorced) warms to Bad; who in turn warms to her young son. Meanwhile Bad is looking for a better financial return on his music. His forthright manager (James Keane) offers him a shot at a better payday but there’s a catch – Bad has to open for his one-time pupil and now country music superstar Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell).

Bridges appears in just about every scene, and certainly carries the film. But while the performance might be laudable, I was frankly bemused by his character. Writer/director Scott Cooper asks us to embrace Bad Blake warts-and-all. The script seems to implore us to appreciate Bad’s musical talent and hence overlook the foibles that ultimately bring about his downfall. This however is a bit like asking a kid to be friends with the school bully because he’s good at cricket.

Indeed, Cooper seems to acknowledge as much late in the film when he has Bad intone that an act of reconciliation has been “too little, too late”. The reality is that’s exactly right; and I for one couldn’t really come away from the film without feeling that Bad deserves all the misery that’s piled on him – and that the silver-lining ending is a bit of a cop-out.

Cooper is probably better known as an actor, and his transition to the director’s chair doesn’t go entirely smoothly. He certainly knows how to coax performances from his cast (as you might expect), and he does a good job integrating the music into his story. Some scenes however are handled clumsily, the film becomes a bit confused (and confusing) in the latter stages and there are times when the narrative seems to simply mark time.

As I mentioned, while Bridges dominates the film, there are some fine supporting performances. Maggie Gyllenhall is excellent (if perhaps a little miscast) as Jean; Colin Farrell gives a more than acceptable portrayal of a country singer and Robert Duvall makes an effective cameo appearance as a bar owner with insight.

I feel rather strange about Crazy Heart. Bridges’ great performance makes me want to like it more, but its flaws are too great to overcome. This is a generally well put-together film, but it’s so lacking in the story department that the efforts of the cast and crew are ultimately undermined.

David Edwards