Crazy Heart

Shallow and uninteresting. I knew beforehand that Crazy Heart was about an alcoholic country singer who wants to improve his decrepit condition because of a woman. After watching it, I don’t know anything more, because that’s all there is, the film doesn’t deliver any surprises or even attempt to (imagine the most ordinary plot that this premise can offer and you’ll be very close to reality). Otherwise, it didn’t particularly piss me off, it’s just universally pleasing, unworthy of any strong emotions, either positive or negative. (02/04/2010)

A standard and therefore unsurprising purely American film about how when you hit rock bottom, you can always grit your teeth, get back up, and move on. It is characteristic of this film to overlook, or rather dismiss with a short scene at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, the truly interesting critical stages of battling addiction, which primarily reach the psychological level. Otis Blake was once a big star in the country scene, selling out big halls and releasing successful records. But today, at the age of 57, he is barely functional and there isn't much left of his former glory. What little remains only angers him with reminders of the times of abundance. Because Blake never thought about saving money, his income dissipated in a bohemian lifestyle, lawyer fees, and in the pockets of ex-wives. His body, exposed to the long-term effects of a destructive lifestyle, begins to fail him and his motivation to achieve new professional and life goals is nonexistent. At that moment, a sympathetic, interesting lonely woman with a small child comes into his life. What will happen? Jeff Bridges is a reliable actor who suits this type of role, and since Secretary, Maggie Gyllenhaal has been developing into a unique and noticeable type of actress who stands out from the stereotypes of genre films. Crazy Heart is a slightly above-average romance with a highly above-average cast, which serves you a proper dose of country music as a treat. Overall impression: 60%. (13/12/2013)

Jeff Bridges pulls the whole film up with his performance, and that Oscar is well deserved. The songs are also nice. So good, very good. Can you ask anything else from a country-drama? (05/04/2010)

I was curious as to why I’d given a movie about a country singer four stars years ago, so I gave it another watch today, and now I know. It’s mostly thanks to the acting of Jeff Bridges, who’s really gotten the hang of playing alcoholics. He portrayed Bad Blake as a masterful multi-instrumentalist whose instruments included the guitar, empty bottles, and women's bodies. I wouldn't recommend the film to action lovers, as it has a slow, southern pace. The atmosphere goes hand in hand with it, so it definitely wasn't full of adrenaline-fueled experiences. It was simply a look into the life of a man who fully realized that alcohol was the scourge of mankind. I was a little apprehensive about all that country music, but I’m proud to say that I can bear many things if need be. Not techno music, though, I have my limits. To sum it up; I’m still rating the film positively. The story had a slow pace but it worked for me, both Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal gave great performances and it was an enjoyable watch. / Lesson learned: Don't smoke in bowling alleys. (05/09/2022)

Film about life. Sometimes you simply experience falls, sometimes you really mess up, but there are moments that are just worth it. Jeff Bridges delivers one of his career-best performances, and I can't help but Maggie is one of my favorite actresses that I know. She always plays in a way that captures my heart. Or at least most of the time. (28/03/2014)