This post was submitted by Ben K.

While always being a respected actor, Jeff Bridges jumped into a whole new category with The Big Lebowski.  He brought us “The Dude”, a character that has vaulted him into being one of the legends of pop culture and movie geekdom.  Before that, he had a track record of great performances from the beginning of his career.  His is just one of the many great performances in Peter Bogdanovich’s classic The Last Picture Show, giving Bridges his first Oscar nomination in his debut film performance.  And that was just the beginning of his career.  Later hits like The Fabulous Baker Boys and The Fisher King to name just a small few have become modern classics largely because of Bridge’s performances.

And now he turns in what is being hailed as the best performance of his career.  He will likely win the Oscar (and yeah, probably deserves to) for his performance as Bad Blake, the burnt-out, washed-up, alcoholic country singer, in Crazy Heart.

When we first meet Blake, he has arrived at his latest gig, a bowling alley in the desert.  Blake doesn’t tour around in a big fancy bus with a band and roadies- no, not anymore- these days it’s just him and his ’78 Suburban, pants unbuttoned, full flask of whiskey in pocket.   He can’t believe he’s been reduced to playing bowling alleys, but is unwilling to do anything to stop his current predicament.  He hides in cheap motels all day drinking, smoking, and watching pay-per-view porn.

But when Bad is on stage he comes alive, even if he has to run off every once in a while to vomit.  And the connection he has with his audience has never dissipated; he dances with them, remembers their names and favorite songs no matter how many drinks he’s had that night.  His groupies have aged with him, and are still willing to throw themselves at him.  Bad is more than obliged to fulfill their fantasies.

Then one day at a gig in Santa Fe, he is introduced to a young music reporter looking for an interview.  The reporter, Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), is quickly charmed by Bad, despite all of his failings.  She sees behind the rough and tired exterior the song-writing genius that still shines on the stage.  Soon they are in bed together, just the beginning of a relationship.

Jean has a young son, and Bad is making up for the years he wasted away by not being a father to his own adult son, who he has never met.  While they fall hard and fast for each other, the alcohol stands firmly in the middle.

But that’s not Bad’s only problem.  In more successful times, when he was able to put together a respectable tour with a band, he mentored the younger guys on the road.  One of those young guys, Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell), soon became one of country’s hottest stars, topping the charts and selling out outdoor amphitheaters across the country.  Bad thinks Tommy owes him (and he does, and knows it), but Tommy’s label refuses to allow him to record with a has-been.

The two reunite after Bad’s manager gets him booked as Tommy’s opening act in Arizona, and they rekindle their onstage magic.  Tommy wants Bad to write him new songs for a hefty paycheck, but Bad just doesn’t believe he has it in him anymore.

All Bad has is the drink, and he just can’t seem to shake it.

Bridges really is the reason to see this movie.  The romance between him and Gyllenhaal never really connects.  To believe that her character would fall for his is a stretch, and the script offers little reason except that she seems to have always picked the wrong men in her life.  Okay, but this is quite a leap.  Now this is not to say that Bad doesn’t have his unique charm or still is able to flatter or have his way with women, but please- give us a reason to believe it and we will, but don’t just assume we’ll buy it.  Something here just never quite connects.

But Bridges is so good that he makes up for any inadequacies in the film.  His scenes on stage are the highlights, and luckily they make up a large portion of the film.  The soundtrack, produced by T Bone Burnett, brings the necessary songs to the film, and enliven it with more emotion than much of the script.

And with Bridges performing those songs, the movie soars.  What he gives is a portrait of a man who is still kicking when everyone thinks he’s down for good, who still maybe has it in him somewhere to pick himself up and again be a star.   Once again it is time for Bad to be in the spotlight, a feeling that Bridges should get used to over the upcoming months.

Crazy Heart is playing in select theaters nationwide.  For more information visit www.foxsearchlight.com/crazyheart.

For the DVD pick of the week I am recommending Bridges’ first film, which I mentioned earlier, the great The Last Picture Show.  With great performances all around, the film features an all-star cast with Oscar-winning performances by Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson.  Bogdanovich established himself as one of the great directors of the 70s with this film.

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