The Weary Kind

Redemption Comes in Painful Doses
By
Morgan P Salvo


Crazy Heart is this year’s version of The Wrestler. A true character study built on pain, suffering, angst and real human emotion with a standout performance by the lead actor. Instead of over-the-hill wrestler Randy the Ram creating the skid mark of his life we get burned-out-once-great on-the-skids 57 year old country star Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges).
Blake travels in a battered Suburban Silverado playing bowling alleys and dive bars in a string of low-paying, low-turnout gigs with pickup bands along the way. Starting with the first gig in a bowling alley, you are aware that this is going to be a bumpy ride. As in many movies from the 70’s, this is an anti-hero messing up and doing semi-heroic things.
Playing a Gretsch guitar through an old Fender Tremolux and sleeping in sleazy motels, Blake smokes and drinks as if there’s no tomorrow. Reminiscent of such classic down and out Country stars-gone-bad movies like Payday with Rip Torn and Tender Mercies with Robert Duvall, the plot follows the road trip and ensuing relationships Blake handles or mishandles along the way. He constantly argues with his agent by phone and lives under the burden that former sideman and protégé Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell) has eclipsed his fame. Jean (Maggie Gylenhall), a New Mexico journalist, shows up to interview Bad and finds genuine interest in this mess of a human being. Bad, still able to score groupies, discovers hope in the awkward interview with Jean and the tables begin to turn.
Even throughout slow parts this movie rings true and wrings out the guts of the characters. Blake boozes, sweats and pukes his way through life accurately depicting alcoholic pain. The heartbreaking relationships between Blake and Jean, her son and Tommy hit the mark every time and are handled with extreme reverence. Every character holds up a mirror either to themselves or each other sustaining agonizing results. This movie wades in familiar territory but the results of what the characters experience almost always turns out different than you’d expect. It’s all a learning experience about finding out what the right thing to do is no matter how wrecked or painful.
Crazy Heart belongs to Bridges. He comes at us full force, wearing Blake’s persona like a badge of honor, subtly allowing us to sink deep into his booze-soaked psyche. Bridges’ ability to seamlessly fit into every character he plays from Rancho Deluxe to American Heart to the punk-outlaw in the overlooked western Bad Company and the dude in The Big Lebowski, has always been flawless. Creating nuances and simplicities that are finely tuned and his natural ability to slide into Blake’s been-there-done-that attitude keeps us riveted. Drunk and numb most of the time, Bad provides no huge temper tantrum but his anger is there, seething underneath the fatigued skin. Bridges presents such a strong character in Bad Blake from the first frame to the last that you have no choice but to believe.
Seeming uncomfortable at first, Gylenhall nails every scene with authenticity and the age difference is not a problem. Chicks dig guys with guitars and old coots dig younger chicks: its just physics. Duvall plays the wise old codger bartender with that glint in his eye and wisdom to spew. Farrell is a surprise and does a fine job but the whole time I kept thinking “that’s Colin Farrell”. Both Farrell and Bridges do their own singing.
Actor/director Scott Cooper displays all the right indie-flick touches but where he shines is in the music. Written by music producer T Bone Burnett and the late guitar player/songwriter Stephen Bruton, the cool and catchy songs have a feel of Waylon Jennings meets Tom Petty. Duvall even sings a song a cappella in a fishing boat.
There’s one scene in particular that sums up the brilliance of this movie. In New Country vs. Old, Tommy and Bad share a stage performing a duet. Having hired Bad as an opener, Tommy sneaks onstage to sing with him. Tommy feels like he’s supporting the old man, Bad in turn resents having to share the stage and despises the moment and himself. The genius is no one says any of this. It's all done with their exchange of glances, and the revelation in Bad’s facial expression as he leaves the amphitheater amidst huge tour buses.
Like The Wrestler, Crazy Heart epitomizes the bleak and the uplifting in an agonizing soul searching attempt for redemption. Although here no one gets stapled in the face--- just emotional staples for the duration of their existence. I guarantee you will remember these characters for life.

Crazy Heart
Starring Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gylenhall, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall
Written and directed by Scott Cooper
4 stars