Crazy Heart. A nice understated movie that deals with an over-the-hill country music star, Bad Blake, (Jeff Bridges) and his muse/lover, a young lady named Jean Craddock, (Maggie Gyllenhaal).
ONE MIGHT CONSIDER THESE SPOILERS
The movie opens up with Bad Blake singing at a bowling alley. A let down for someone who used to be much bigger. You figure out rather quickly that he's a chain smoker and an alcholic. In another town, he is asked if he's willing to do an interview with a young reporter, Jean. They hit it off pretty well. And soon fall into a quick romance.
At the same time, his career takes a turn for the better. A musican he mentored, Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), is starting to turn big -- playing in front of crowds of 12,000 (I believe this is what I heard.) Though Bad Blake feels that Tommy Sweet sold him out, Tommy still has high regards for Bad Blake. Tommy asks Bad Blake to open for him in one of his shows and then asks him to write music for him.
Though his career is picking up again, he still has issues with drinking and smoking. This eventually ends his relationship with Jean, but it also inspires him to turn around his personal life.
This movie kept my attention throughout. Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal are worthy for their Oscar nominations. Obviously, this movie doesn't make Tommy Sweet out to be the bad guy and there is reconciliation between Tommy and Bad Blake. I liked how the movie dealt with their relationship. It didn't go into all the gritty details, but it gave you enough to understand how Bad Blake felt about it all, but also see how Tommy was trying to reach out and help his mentor.
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