Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall

Director: Scott Cooper

Screenwriters: Scott Cooper, Thomas Cobb

Crazy Heart is a story of a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic country singer which was likely to pass many viewers by. However, since Fox Searchlight bought worldwide rights to the completed film and saved its release until awards season, Scott Cooper’s directorial debut has reached a much wider audience than just the country music-loving folk across the pond, and not forgetting added the attention it has received by its two lead actors, Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaall, being nominated for Oscars. But is it worthy of this new-found enthusiasm?

A worn out sign belonging to a run-down motel-come-bowling-alley deep in the American South introduces us to Bad Blake. The camera then pans down to reveal the pot-bellied greying scruff for real. Bad Blake, a one-time successful country singer, these days plays gigs for a pittance at venues akin to an old person’s home and when he’s done , he shares a bed with one of its residents. To ease the pain of his fall from grace he drinks McClure’s whisky, so much so that at one point he even has to exit the stage mid-performance to be sick.

Then he meets Jean (Gyllenhaal), a Santa Fe journalist, for an interview during which she falls for his lecherous advances. They embark on a relationship and he soon becomes a fixture in her five year-old son Buddy’s life. This romantic turn, however, regardless of the chemistry between the leads, comes across contrived and rushed with but a meek statement from Jean “I always go for bad men� thrown in as an explanation for why she’d take up with a man old enough to be her father, who has no money and a considerable drink problem. It lacks the credibility and passion, say, Johnny Cash and June Carter in Walk the Line.

There is a sub-plot involving Blake and Tommy Sweet, an oddly cast long-haired Colin Farrell. Sweet started out as Blake’s understudy but has now long eclipsed his success. There is a lot of suggested animosity between the two, though when Blake agrees to support Tommy’s show what comes out is more a subtle mutual respect which unveils a sincere and humbler dimension to the anti-hero Blake.

Crazy Heart can often seem slow at times; some will enjoy watching Blake meandering on while others will be clock-watching. Nevertheless, one thing that holds your attention throughout is Bridges’ untiring performance. He consumes every aspect of Blake – his country singing, drinking, feelings of love, guilt, isolation, and his health problems – and reacts sincerely to every aspect, creating a believable character and bringing him to life on screen.

Things begin to look up for Blake until, predictably, his need for a drink leads to a life-altering event that throws everything into chaos once more. Like his relationship with Jean though, this event is insufficient to be quite as life changing as it is portrayed as.

With a career defining performance from Bridges though and some authentic dialogue, Crazy Heart is worth taking a look. Even if you usually give country music a wide berth you’ll probably enjoy the well composed and thought through music which soundtrack producer T Bone Burnett gets right to a tee. However comparing it to the thousands of other down-on-luck country music performer’s stories, it’s questionable if this one would normally stick out in the mind if it wasn’t for Bridges star-turn and awards season attention.

By Heidi Vella

Crazy Heart is out 19th February via Fox