Crazy Plot


I'm happy that Jeff Bridges is getting a lot of buzz for his Oscar-nominated role in "Crazy Heart," because I've always enjoyed his work. And any movie is better with Maggie Gyllenhall in it. Throw in a little Robert Duvall, and that makes three pros who can't give a bad performance, which is why I walked out of "Crazy Heart" with a smile on my face.

I recommend it, but two things bothered me about the movie.

First of all, I'd seen this template before. Duvall won an Academy Award for playing essentially the same role in "Tender Mercies," his 1983 film about a down-on-his-luck alcoholic former country star who finds love with a young single mom while he battles demons and ex-colleagues.

Second, there's nothing in "Crazy Heart" to explain Gyllenhall's attraction to Bridges. She's half his age, yet falls for this drunken slob with breath like an ashtray whose career is so far off the tracks that he has to work gigs in bowling alleys. Are there many American women looking to fall in love with a drunken loser like that, even if he's written a few good songs, or is this yet another Hollywood fantasy?

So why did I enjoy the movie? For T-Bone Burnett's music and the authenticity of scenes like the one where the leader of the local backup band shows up at Bridges' motel room to find out when they'd get to rehearse with him before that night's show. Bridges tells him they don't have to rehearse, then gives him a CD and some lead sheets and tells him to study those while Bridges returns to the room to climb further inside a bottle of whiskey.

It reminded me of the story Bruce Springsteen told in the Chuck Berry bio-pic "Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll." Before Bruce was a star, he and his group of local Jersey boys were hired to play behind Chuck Berry. When Chuck arrived just as the show was supposed to start, he got paid in cash in advance by the promoter, and then headed for the stage. That's when Bruce quickly introduced himself and asked what songs they were going to play. Without missing a step, the musical legend replied, "Why, Chuck Berry songs, of course!" With that, Chuck pulled his guitar out of its case and went right into the opening riff of "Johnny B. Goode," leaving Bruce and the band to wing it and play catch-up for the next hour.

Jeff Bridges is the odds-on favorite to win the Academy Award. After 4 previous nominations and losses, it's probably about time to give it to him. But like Martin Scorcese's win for "The Departed," this one will be recognition of a career's work -- "The Last Picture Show," "Starman," "Jagged Edge," "Tucker," "The Fabulous Baker Boys," "The Contender," "Seabiscuit" -- rather than for his lead role in "Crazy Heart."

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