Bridges' Bad Blake Buoys Up "Crazy Heart"

Jeff Bridges as Bad Blake says during “Crazy Heart”, “Ain’t rememberin’ wonderful?” Remembering might be wonderful, but one doesn’t need to remember anything at all to enjoy “Crazy Heart.” Though the film draws heavily on classic country influences, this tale of an alcohol-addicted country singer isn’t at all memorable for its plot. What makes the film unquestionably worth seeing is a raw, bedraggled, and poignant performance by Bridges as Bad Blake.

When a beaming, aged and weathered party store shopkeeper gives washed-up country singer Blake a bottle of scotch at the beginning of the film, viewers can see exactly what kind of celebrity he is. With his pants constantly undone, Jeff Bridges’ Bad Blake is a slightly gross, and at times vulgar, star of the show that has fallen from grace but is still beloved by his fans. When Blake sings at that night’s bowling alley show, “I used to be somebody, now I am somebody else,” his talent is overwhelming. From there on, the slow-paced film carries viewers along with Blake’s journey around the American Southwest.

Glowing western landscapes crowns the highways of Blake’s tour, while the strong musical score by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett rises and falls poetically in the background. Blake’s wardrobe is simple, his pants often undone, and he seems to pay about as much attention to it as the audiences does (not much). The glistening sweat on Blake’s face during most of the film, as he huffs and puffs (he’s rather out of shape) is almost tangible. His physicality captured through the cinematography throughout the film is notable, as well as his depth as a character. Indeed, none of the characters are ever allowed to get far away from the camera lens, which provides intimate portraits of them for the audience.

A slightly refreshing alternative to the dusty world of country music and Blake’s addiction, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Jean Craddock and her almost overly (but not quite too) adorable and precocious son Buddy are an important vein in Blake’s development. She oddly overlooks his drunk driving and obvious alcohol problem, not recognizing it as an issue until he loses her son buddy while drunk. There relationship is awkward and somewhat forced on screen—as a younger actress, Gyllenhaal might have a lot of films under her belt, but she can’t stand up to Jeff Bridges’ mastery of his character.

The only major failure of the film is Colin Farrell’s Tommy Sweet, who seems very artificial, portraying a country star with wiggling eyebrows and forced-casual lean. However, Farrell’s lilting voice does provide a nice complement for Blake’s low and classic country tone. When they team up onstage in “Fallin’ and Flyin,”” the track is instantly transformed into magic. Fortunately, Farrell is discussed a lot in the film, but never gets a lot of face time.

Many beautiful, “country” images inhabit the very realistic space of “Crazy Heart”. Blake leans with his guitar in his all-denim outfit against dusty rose stucco walls; he’s feeling down at the moment about his alcohol abuse but ultimately confident in his place in not only country music, but its personal story. The gorgeous sets serve as a dramatic backdrop to his somewhat more humble tale of addiction and cleansing.

Simplicity is key to “Crazy Heart.” It is where most of its appeal lies—in its sweeping, bare western landscapes, its moving and convincing lead character, and the basic storyline of a country singer on tour. I might have just imagined it, but when Bad Blake sang “Fallin’ and Flyin’” in a cramped southern bar on screen, I swear I could smell the cigarettes, sweat and an electrified bar calling out for “Bad Blake.”