Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) was once a legendary country singer. But after many years of self-destruction via alcohol, cigarettes, and random sex he is in very bad shape. His manager (James Keane) is trying to get him a last shot at glory but meanwhile Bad drives his old car across the West to play sets in bowling alleys with local backup bands. He is an unhappy singer who can't abide the places he plays and could care less about his audiences. In addition, he doesn't seem to be able to write any new material. This, combined with his poor health, puts him in nasty and dark moods.

Things brighten a bit when he meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a pretty and young journalist who does an interview with him. We learn that Bad has been married four times and has a son he's hasn't contacted in years. Jean begins a romantic affair with the singer/songwriter and inspires him to write some new ballads. Bad hits it off with her four-year-old son but has a harder time dealing with Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), his protégé who is now a very successful country singer. It isn't long before Bad hits bottom again. His loyal friend Wayne (Robert Duvall) is there to help him when he needs it most.

Scott Cooper directs this somber movie based on a novel by Thomas Cobb. This rambling story of a down-and-out country singer is something we've seen before. But the rounded and realistic performance by Jeff Bridges makes it worthwhile. We are huge fans of Jeff Bridges and have been astonished that he did not win an Academy Award for his performances in The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Big Lebowski, Fearless, Starman, The Fisher King, The Door in the Floor. Crazy Heart isn't his best film performance, but it's consistent with the rest of his work.

Thematically, this film can't hold a candle to Tender Mercies (1983) written by Horton Foote and starring Robert Duvall as a country singer at the end of his rope whose life is transformed by grace. But we still have to salute Bad Blake for having the courage to put his life in turnaround.


Special features on the DVD include deleted scenes.