Crazy Heart

[Jahmbie]

My wife and I saw Crazy Heart last night. She is not a big country music fan (she thought the Georgia Wildcats were a made up group) and really, really liked it. I work in an Appalachian music archive and thought the movie was pretty good, but not great. Jeff Bridges is amazing, but the plot and supporting character development are a bit weak.

My feeling is that Crazy Heart is better than average and most people who see it will have positive reviews on the strength of Bridge's performance.

*I'd love to know who's Tweed Tremolux they used in the film.*

[Po' Boy]

I'm I crazy or were there a lot of Big Lebowski references?

[cowboytwang]

I'm giving it a 6 1/2 out of 10.
I've done the pickup band gig with guys just like "Bad", so I have to give Bridges props for pulling off that part.
The music gets a big plus for instrumentation and arrangements, but a big minus for lyric. Most of those songs sounded like a hook line, with another hook line, then another hook line, and nothing fit together.

[Ward]

I expected it to be better, but all in all it wasn't too bad. The acting was fabulous, but the storyline dragged a bit. I thought Pure Country was better as a movie, although obviously Bridges' acting was a lot better than George Strait's.

I will tell you that I'll be reluctant to ever have so much as ONE beer in front of my kids after that scene in the shopping mall! My wife and I were cringing during that whole scene.

[big Paul]

haven't seen the movie yet but I intend to. I'm just glad Stephen Bruton is mentioned. Very underrated picker and genuis writer. He was Kristofferson's goto picker when he really needed one. Bruton played with Delbert Mcclinton, Marcia Ball, Bonnie Raitt, as well as his own solo stuff. Check out his first one "What It Is". Still blows me away every time I hear it.

[asatfan]

My wife and I just saw it (valentines date). I loved it. No particular reason, just good entertainment and some good songs. Maybe a bit lame, but the songs are great (bought the soundtrack on the way home). I really like Bridge's voice and he obviously know how to play a bit.

[getbent]

Originally Posted by cowboytwang

I'm giving it a 6 1/2 out of 10.
I've done the pickup band gig with guys just like "Bad", so I have to give Bridges props for pulling off that part.
The music gets a big plus for instrumentation and arrangements, but a big minus for lyric. Most of those songs sounded like a hook line, with another hook line, then another hook line, and nothing fit together.

Just saw it with the spousal unit. She liked it very much and said that it reminded her of lots of places I've played etc... and that the women in the bars were so startlingly familiar that she thought she recognized some of them (I have to agree with her, good lord!) My wife very recently came to a gig (she rarely comes unless it is in the day and at a nice, family style festival thing) and at our gig, she had a great time... but, some folks lead pretty rough lives!

I am getting old and can't bear to see folks so troubled, messed up, jealous, and just lost... too painful... and some of it was pretty cliche too...

My thought was that had I had that kind of shot and that kind of talent... I would never have let the bottle take me down. While I was glad that he 'got it together' I just don't think the character ever 'gets it'. Which is sad... I didn't even get the feeling that he loved music or making it... it was just what he did because it was what he did....

So, I'm with Alvin and Mandy all the way.... I could see it was shooting for this generation's Tender Mercies.. (hence the whole Duvall connection) but, I got the feeling that the protagonist in this one was one of the guys who was drinking with Duvall in the first movie...

btw, I like Jeff Bridges very much and think he did a very good job (the dude at 57?) but, it was both too sappy and too dark for me....

[Jrichard]

Great acting; pretty good directing; superficial storyline--so much more could have been made of it. Still, I was happy to have seen it.

[BentheMighty]

I saw this with a friend and his chick. I liked it a whole lot. I don't go to movies much. It didn't change my life or anything but I walked out of there really satisfied. It was ten bucks well spent and I didn't feel ripped off. My friend dug it a whole lot and kept asking me all about the guitars in the movie. His girlfriend who HATES country, liked it a bunch too. I even saw a tear during the movie, hahaha. For what it's worth from an anonymous online guy you will probably never meet, I recommend this flick.

Oh yeah on a Friday night at a ten o clock showing it was just us three in the movie theater. Does this mean that good movies don't get seen by people or that it has been out a while?

[Oldgitplayer]

I know this is a music forum, but this thread has been active for over a month now, and nobody's mentioned the lovely Maggie Gylenhaal.

[cowboytwang]

Originally Posted by Oldgitplayer

I know this is a music forum, but this thread has been active for over a month now, and nobody's mentioned the lovely Maggie Gylenhaal.

What kind of guitar does she play?

[asatfan]

Ah, Maggie! She is a cutie!

I guess I don't agree with you, GB. I think the character loved playing and singing....yes, he was ravaged by the bottle (not to blame it on the bottle), but through the haze, music is/was his life. It appeared to me that he was having a blast when on stage. And the scene where he was meticulously cleaning his guitar (of course, god knows what was all over it) in his motel room....and he starts writing again after the accident. Anyway, I think he "gets it" at the end of the movie.

I don't mean to sound like I think this is some kind of cinematic masterpiece (or even supposed to be)...just a good show for a Sunday afternoon, and I'm still enjoying the music. Not enough movies with good old country music. Our band's workin' up one of the tunes already.

[zimbo]

Anyone who likes Maggie should check out Sherry Baby. A very similar movie where Maggie is the down and out one who needs a comeback.

[winny pooh]

It was enjoyable but I'm not sure if the movie is comfortable in its own skin. The intent, storyline & mean don't all hang together perfectly. I did enjoy ol whatsis name playing Tommy and the casting and locations were excellent.

[neocaster]

Just saw this last night. I've always loved Jeff Bridges. Geek that I am, I'm most excited by Tron Legacy on the horizon, but I found the characters and story engaging. Maggie didn't seem that young (kudos to her for that.) I thought there was room for so much more in the middle, but it ended right where it was supposed to. Too much resolution really ruins movies like this. Like "Leaving Las Vegas" I think the trick is to resolve the relationship and leave the characters broken. They might have fixed Bad a bit too much at the end of this one, but I thought they sold it well.

[Telebubba]

+1. Saw this movie last week and was thoroughly impressed. Jeff Bridges gets better with age. Loved the soundtrack also, and I will need to go check out Stephen Bruton. Fallin' and Flyin' is a FINE example of classic C&W songwriting.

[dguitar3]

Great movie. Saw it last week. Great acting, great music, great story.

[Joefish]

I finally saw it last night and loved it!



(BTW, I’m sure a few of us can remember laying on the floor and watching Sea Hunt on the black and white TV)

[tele-rain]

Finally got around to seeing Crazy Heart too just now. I thought it was excellent, and will hopefully get the soundtrack too soon!! Overall it was great, but one thing that stood out to me was that they didn't overdo his alcoholic binges. Yes, you knew he was wasted most of the time, it was evident from scene one that he has a problem. But they didn't go the route of showing him get sober, then fall off the wagon, then sober, fall off the wagon, etc. I completely understand that this is unfortunately how it can be in real life, and I'm not belittling that at all. I think the movie had a perfect balance showing his problems (the opening scenes, establishing the storyline), his turn around (meeting the girl and son), then the rest of the turn of events (the accident, the kid, getting sober). It was just refreshing that it told the story in a swift, but compelling manner.

[Tele Jr]

I saw the movie and agree it was well done and that Jeff Bridges does a good job.

But after it was over I was a little disappointed with the whole thing the way it seemed to want to sell or perpetuate some mythic expectation that all old lifer musicians are washed up old drunks or whatever. I know a few who aren't...