Why I Didn't See Crazy Heart … And Why I Will
At an Oscar party last night, my friends were stunned to learn that I had not seen Crazy Heart yet. "It's about everything you love," they said. Country music! Smoky little bars! Scotch! Colin Farrell! Journalism! Now that Jeff Bridges won an Oscar for this role as the hard-living country singer Bad Blake, I've been getting even more flak for not going.
There were two reasons why I didn't rush out to see the movie. It was rated R, so I couldn't bring my kids -- too much hard drinking, chain-smoking and driving under the influence than I thought they should see. Plus, because I'd seen Pure Country and Broken Bridges, I thought maybe I'd had enough of films about fading country singers getting back to their roots. You've seen one, you've seen them all and all that.
But now I have come realize that that was a very narrow-minded way to think. So I am going to go this weekend. And just like I had two reasons why not to go, I have two why I should go. One, the soundtrack. That really sold me, beyond the Oscar attention, especially when Farrell does Ryan Bingham's "Gone, Gone, Gone," and when he and Bridges do "Fallin' & Flyin'." Those are two outstanding songs. And two, the way Robert Duvall tells Bridges, "Never too late, son. Never too late." You don't have to be a has-been country singer to appreciate that sage advice.
Photo credit: Eric Charbonneau/WireImage
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Susan says:
I didn’t see “Pure Country” or “Broken Bridges” either Alison but it wasn’t the subject matter that kept me from it. It was the fact that they were “B” movies at best. Odds were in my favor when deciding to see “Crazy Heart”. I mean…Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell? Hard to miss with those two. I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
redstateblue says:
Jeff Bridges was superb as Bad Blake. Of course, it was the 2010 version of the Dude but I loved the Dude then and still keep it in my collection of ‘must haves’.
When we left the theatre, I had my son buy yhe sound track on iTunes for me. It’s also a keeper. I’ve been bragging about this movie ever since I saw it. Do not miss it.
D Trotter says:
Jeff Bridges, like Duvall, is one of America’s true cinema treasures — it’s incredible he hasn’t won an Oscar before.
Combine Mr Bridges with a great story(maybe a tad much puke?), wonderful music (masterminded by the genius himself, T-Bone Burnett), add Colin and Maggie, then top it off with the brilliance of Ryan Bingham — this is one movie everyone needs to see.
PR says:
To even put Pure Country and Broken Bridges in the same sentence as crazy heart is just wrong. I am hoping you were kidding on that because cast alone tells you they could never compare. Either way I hope you enjoy it,Jeff Bridges rocks!!
Redmaz says:
Granted I have seen people nearly as narrow as you finally open up to the rest of today’s music scene, but I really don’t see it happening with you. I hope I’m wrong though. This movie and soundtrack represents everything you refuse to acknowledge, or at least everything you oppose of. This is based on your previous blogs. Just the fact this soundtrack is #1 on the Americana Music Association chart backs up my opinion. (based on fact of course).