Crazy Heart: Just a country boy... livin' in a country world..!

I finally got to see Crazy Heart. By now, my expectations were very high for this movie and I was not disappointed.

It moved me in ways that were so subtle, my emotions kind of creeped up on me. There were elements that were heart breaking, tension filled, romantic, realistic and surreal. The acting was superb. Jeff Bridges settled into his roll like it was a worn out, comfortable old couch he has sat on for years. Its like Jeff Bridges IS "The Dude," in real life, and this is what would have happened to him if he had decided to go a different route in life. I think Jeff Bridges was excellent in the moments of "non-acting": holding a glance just a little too long, or standing at the door contemplating his next move; even the way he holds his guitar and lovingly picks at it in a drunken stupor... He never breaks character.

Jeff is Bad Blake, the alchohalic, former country superstar, through and through. soundtrack is chock-full of these examples, none more touching to the soul, then the Title theme, "The Weary Kind." I found myself tearing up upon hearing it sung, first by Jeff Bridges (Bad Blake), and finally, by Colin Farrel (Tommy Sweet).
Its mesmorizing. Listen to him sing, it reminds me of a whistful and wise Willy Nelson/Hank Williams/Alan Jackson. I am not a fan of today's country, and I was never a fan of country music as a child/teen, but I have grown to appreciate the authenticity of the sadness, the longing, the regret that is in many an old country song. The

Speaking of Farrel, he absolutely blew me away in his small, but intriguing performance of Tommy Sweet, a country music superstar who used to open for Bad, but now has Bad opening for him. Colin is Irish, but his subtle (you will hear that world a lot in association with this film, trust me) southern lilt was convincing. I knew it was him when I first saw him on screen, but he too disappears into his roll. Where Colin once was stands a seasoned country superstar who is soft-spoken, confident and gentle. His voice is more contemporary than Bridges, and the two of them round each other out in a way that is both nostalgic and transforming. For this non-lover of country music, these vocal gems were ear candy.

Crazy Heart is an absolute delight to enjoy with family, friends, your signifigant other, or just by yourself in those quiet moments in life. Don't go in comparing it to any other film (IE: Walk the Line, The Big Lebowski) just enjoy it for what it is. I give this movie four stars instead of five only because I have very high standards for a five star movie, and even though I loved this movie, it didn't quite reach the level of perfection I deem worthy of five stars. In order for it to recieve that type of accolade, it would have to touch my soul or engage me to the point where I could not leave my seat at the theatre.

One film that succeeded with this on every level was "Once", a very small film about two street musicians and the short but important time they spent together. A love story without the conventional idea of love and romance. Crazy Heart may be a little more conventional, but that doesn't mean you've seen all this before. Watch it, you might not see how it affects you, but you will definitely FEEL it. This may be a small film, but it will leave a big impression on you subconcious and inside your heart.