Movie #151........................."Crazy Heart"

Movie #151 "Crazy Heart" kicks off Oscar week, where all the movies that I'm watching have probably been nominated, and this was just okay, which is disappointing because it's been nominated for best actor for Jeff Bridges. This acting job and really the whole movie was much like "The Wrestler" last year, minus the great father daughter scene in the latter film. I'm really surprised this is nominated for best actor because it's pretty plain of a part --- not very showy, shows little effort. It looks to me like a career nod here, and although actors have gotten oscars for that before, it's usually for something a tad more worthy. Anyhow, if you are looking for something different here, you won't find it. And the script lacks those meaty emotional scenes that might make you like this guy more. Here's an example. Jeff Bridges goes to her place to beg to be forgiven --- he calls her name. She has this big scene and explains to him that she can't forgive him and closes the door. The camera, mind you, is mostly on her in this scene. She has most of the lines; she has the big acting moments here. So when it's his turn in the scene and he now is supposed to show the audience how he feels about the previous discussion, what does he do? He calls her name again --- in the same way. Can the writer figure out a way to show how this character is supposed to feel? And if the writer doesn't do it, can the actor make any more choices here to show what he just went through? to show his reaction to her closing the door? to show the futility of the relationship? hmmm. I think whoever decided to nominate Christopher Plummer for supporting actor for "Last Station " made a huge mistake --- I don't think he can beat Christopher Walz, but he could have beaten the best actors in that category. A shame. Plummer is older, has 180 pieces of work on IMDB, his first nomination is this, one of the most overlooked actors of all time, and in my opinion more worthy of an award this year. so overall? See "Last Station" rather than this one.





Average rating: 3.867
I'd give it 3.8
Crazy Heart
(2009) R
When reporter Jean Craddock (Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal) interviews Bad Blake (Golden Globe winner Jeff Bridges) -- an alcoholic, seen-better-days country music legend -- they connect, and the hard-living crooner sees a possible saving grace in a life with Jean and her young son. But can he leave behind an existence playing in the shadow of Tommy (Colin Farrell), the upstart kid he once mentored? Robert Duvall produces and co-stars.