Barney's been around a bit, and if there's anything he likes almost as much as Joy Division, its the Movies...

Very much influenced by styles of David Lynch, expect Barney to enlighten you on what you must see, and what you must miss in the Dark of the Cinema.

You might remember Barney from such publications as the legendary Pavement mag, and he also writes film reviews weekly in the Sunday Star Times.

9 March 2010

Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell.
Written & directed by Scott Cooper.
111 minutes.

****

Such is the capriciousness of Hollywood, Crazy Heart almost never got made, nearly went straight to video, now it's probably the film destined to win lead actor Jeff Bridges a long overdue Best Actor Oscar.

The fluctuations of fame is at the heart of debut director Scott Cooper's sleeper hit, which mirrors elements of last year's surprise contender, The Wrestler, and equally triumphs thanks to a keenly observed performance by its leading man.

Bridges plays a former country music star scraping the bottom of the barrel professionally and staring devotedly at the bottom of a bottle. Bad Blake has written some top songs in the past but his empty heart and sore head leave him playing dives in small town America rather than competing with the likes of Tommy Sweet (Farrell), a popular country singer he's mentored and probably once resembled.

Crazy Heart presents the classic scenario of a man past his prime who knows a thing or two about life and love but continues to struggle to make sense of either. Blake is the result of what happens to the American dream when the well is all but dry. And like an addict that can see the ground coming up fast, he's only got himself to blame if he can't turn his life around and make good on the strength of talent and character he's displayed in his past.

Such a role demands a seasoned pro in the driver's seat. Bridges, who kicked off his career in 1971 in Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show, has an impressive legacy of great performances, none of which have won him an Oscar despite his nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his film debut. Like Blake, he's been around the block a few times, though unlike his most loved character, The Dude in the Coen Brothers' comedy The Big Lebowski, he's no doobie-smoking slacker. Bridges can play characters big and small, with Blake the ideal combination of both.

Cooper's script, based on Thomas Cobb's novel, gives the story plenty of space to breathe. He relishes the barren countryside as much as Blake's seemingly barren existence. So enamoured of Blake is Cooper that his principal female character, Jean (Gyllenhaal), is more of a mirage on the landscape than a fully realised person with her own story to tell. She slips into Blake's world suddenly and just as abruptly exits when his alcoholism is thrust to the fore.

But Crazy Heart is Blake's story. In Bridges' hands, Blake is as flawed and lovable as The Dude. He's a man we can all relate to. And he can play! Thanks to Bridges' experience as a musician and friendship with T Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton, who co-wrote Blake's songs, he invests the old dog with all the tricks of the trade.

* BARNEY MCDONALD

THE PITCH: Tumblin' tumbleweeds.
LISTEN OUT FOR: The songs.

(Courtesy Sunday Star Times)