Crazy Heart

Name: Crazy Heart
Genre: Drama, Romance, Music
Released: December 16, 2009
Duration: 112 min
Rating: 83
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal

2009

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 203 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 203 Ratings

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Crazy Heart

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: December 16, 2009 | R

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Summary: Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. As he struggles down the road ofBad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician. As he struggles down the road of redemption, Bad learns the hard way just how tough life can be on one man’s crazy heart. [Fox Searchlight]… Expand

Director: Scott Cooper

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Music

Rating: R

Runtime: 112 min

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Critic Reviews

100

A.O. Scott

A small movie perfectly scaled to the big performance at its center. Read full review

100

Steven Rea

Crazy Heart is the real thing, and a real gem. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Crazy Heart is blessed with so many marvelous moments, lovely lines and vivid characters. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

Ever-youthful in his looks and energy, Bridges now stands as one of Hollywood's great old pros, incapable of making a false move. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Bridges makes this sozzled and desperate ex-desperado – a cliché by any other name – as fresh and vital as one final shot at cowboy-poet redemption. It may sound crazy, but it's true. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Perhaps the idea of watching Jeff Bridges as a drunken, broken-down, down-on-his luck country music singer in Crazy Heart doesn't automatically sound appealing. But think this: "The Wrestler." With good songs. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

A manufactured kid-in-jeopardy climax and Blake’s rehab stint blow the mood. Until then, this is great American acting. Read full review

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User Reviews

StephenD.

Jan 12, 2010

A perfectly crafted film - Jeff Bridges is amazing and seamlessly transforms himself into the character - great music - great story - for me, the most satisfying film of 2009.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

zig16

Dec 23, 2010

I rented this movie on blue ray. I had to turn it off 1/2 way through the picture and send it back - it was that bad! This type of movie gets publicity from review whores who all jump to try to outsmart the other critics, but in the end, the critics are all full of s--t! This movie sucks!

1 of 11 users found this helpful110

FranceL.

Dec 29, 2009

Featuring an Oscar worthy performance by the talented, underrated Jeff Bridges, this is the painful story of one man's path from self destruction to self redemption. Maggie Gyllenhaall and Colin Farrell add solid backup and the soundtrack is a winner.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DawdlingPoet

Nov 22, 2021

This is a drama film with obviously a heavy emphasis on music, more specifically country music and it features themes including reconciliation, personal identity, loneliness and of course country music. It is very much a character focussed drama. The main character, Bad (who is very hesitantThis is a drama film with obviously a heavy emphasis on music, more specifically country music and it features themes including reconciliation, personal identity, loneliness and of course country music. It is very much a character focussed drama. The main character, Bad (who is very hesitant to reveal his real name, I should note), is depicted from early on as quite a disillusioned person. We learn slowly about his history, via the love interest, Jean the journalist. Given his fame and adoration, its surprising to see that he lives a relatively modest life, keeping himself to himself most of the time. I found it hard to fully follow what Bad said at times, as his voice sounded quite mumbly - perhaps its (partly) because of his thick US accent. I often found myself tinkering with the volume to try and improve things, only to find a new scene starting with music playing and the music was too loud, so I'd turn it down, only to find myself, yet again, a bit unclear of the dialogue when it cut to a quieter scene, which is quite frustrating!. Whether thats anything to do with me watching it via my laptop, as I purchased it via Google Play, or not, I don't know but it was quite distracting and so I felt I better mention it.

The plot is pretty slow paced, infact I'm not sure if it was very clear quite what the plot was, certainly direction wise, at all. I found it (personally) a pretty easy watch, as I'm relatively keen on contemporary country music and I quite enjoyed the songs Bad performs (I believe the actor, Jeff Bridges, performs himself during the film, so its not a case of lip syncing or dubbing, which impressed me - some of the lyrics are relatively poignant) plus I don't mind a decent film centering on character development but this may not suit all, as some may find this a bit slow and meandering. I think its fair to say that this is quite a, what you might call, reflective film - with various people, mostly other musicians, looking back at things in the music industry and in their individual lives and perhaps wondering what may have been. It may seem a bit indulgent to some but I thought it was somewhat philosophical and I found it a pleasant enough watch regardlress.

Content wise, this film contains some strong language plus a scene involving a crash in which a character is left with injuries, part bloody ones although nothing especially graphic is shown. Bad is depicted as drinking and being inebriated at times and also people are seen smoking, which may not be something you'd want younger teenagers to see, if you think they may be influenced by such things but there are no other drug related references or scenes and no graphic sexual content either, although some mild nudity. Also I wouldn't say that drinking and smoking is glamourised as such either, the down sides to such over indulgences being made fairly clear. Regardless, due to this, the film carries a 15 rating here in the UK. The 15 rating slightly surprised me as I would have thought it would be ok with a 12a rating, for the language, given there isn't a great amount of violence but I suppose the higher rating is, if partly, due to the amount of smoking and alcohol taking depicted.

The film contains a definite bittersweet feel to it, particularly towards the end as certain discoveries are made, although I won't go in to any details so as not to spoil the film for anyone who hasn't seen it, of course. I thought this was a well made film which is relatively thoughtful.

Yes I'd recommend it overall, as long as you don't mind possibly relying on using the subtitles on ocassion and as long as you don't mind character based dramas, as this is just about one of the better ones. It may seem a little bland and it doesn't feature any big visual effects or anything but the main performance by Jeff Bridges is a solid one and I liked the music featured throughout and found it to be a good watch, if a rather sobering one.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JudyF.

Feb 12, 2010

A mildly disappointing film -- despite all the hoo-haw. The story of a down-and-out country singer who finds love and then redemption is too cliche and offers few surprises. Jeff Bridges is fine and fun to watch. Maggie Gyllenhaal, not as much. For a real treat -- see the 1983 version A mildly disappointing film -- despite all the hoo-haw. The story of a down-and-out country singer who finds love and then redemption is too cliche and offers few surprises. Jeff Bridges is fine and fun to watch. Maggie Gyllenhaal, not as much. For a real treat -- see the 1983 version "Tender Mercies" instead.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

FilmQueen

Nov 19, 2015

A decent biographical film with good performances, but the story is just simply slow and boring. Also this relationship that is basically the center of the film was totally implausible. However the music is nice.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JamesS

Dec 26, 2009

Another one of those movies where the sexy smart young woman falls for a charming unrepentingly drunken, crusty, pasty skinned, gut bag of a bitter vulgarian whose career has self destructed. Spare us next time.

0 of 2 users found this helpful

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21	#21 Best Movie of 2009
85	#85 Most Discussed Movie of 2009