Jeff
Bridges, already having won a Golden Globe award plus the Screen Actors
Guild award, both for Crazy Hearts, is sure to hear his name called
Tuesday morning when they announce the Oscar nominations for Best Actor
and deservedly so. I just wish his, 'let it all hang out' performance
was in a better movie. I found it slow moving and cliche after cliche.
It is to his credit that he rises above the screenplay written by the
director Scott Cooper.

There are two other outstanding performances that should also get recognition one being Maggie Gyllenhaal playing a single mother, with a cute 4 year old, and the other by Colin
Farrell as once a protege of Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) and is now a big
star while Bad plays bowling alleys. I really wish Colin had a bigger
role because he adds a lot to the screen and screenplay when ever he
appears.

A very disappointing, and unnecessary performance, is given by Robert Duvall, who was probably given the role because he knows the producer, Robert Duvall.

The story of the has been country performer redeemed by a good woman and trying
to make a comeback offers no surprises in Crazy Hearts and neither does
the country and western music which all sounds alike, none having that
twang that makes songs about heartbreak,drunkenness, cheating, etc., that makes C & W special.

Jeff
Bridges who is 60 in real life and 57 here in reel life shows every
wart, spare tire and weariness that a man who has given up will show.
In the movie he is at the nadir of his life while in real life this is
certainly a high point in his career filled with energy.

There
is a duet--they both sing using their own voices----between Bridges and
Farrell that is outstanding while too many of the too slow sole ballads
won't scare Clint Black or make you forget Waylon Jennings or Willie
Nelson or Kris Kristofferson.

While the film is a snooze fest Bridges, Gyllenhaal and Ferrall's performances make the film worth seeing.