Crazy Heart 2009

    This movie is based on a novel written by Thomas Cobb.  Bad Blake is a broken-down and hard-living country music singer.   He’s had too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times.  But, Bad Blake can't help but turn his life around with the help of Jean.  She is a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician.

     Middle-aged musician Bad Blake has a failing career and a major drinking problem.  The excessive alcohol use is also contributing to the slide of his career.  This film is clearly aimed at adults unless teens have an interest in classic country music or actor Colin Farrell.  There is plenty of food for thought and some good music.  Some very strong language especially during the first half of the film.  Tons of drinking plus drunk driving.  Nothing turns around until the main character has an important wake-up call that sobers him up more ways than one!!  5* (I really liked this movie)

112 min, Drama directed and written by Scott Cooper and also written by Thomas Cobb with Jeff Bridge, James Keane, Anna Felix, Paul Herman, Tom Bower, Ryan Bingham, Beth Grant, Rick Dial, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Debrianna Mansini, Jerry Handy, Jack Nation, Ryil Adamson, J. Michael Oliva, David Manzanares.

Note:  Imdb 7.2* out of 10* with 83,647 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 90% with 210 critics 76% with 123,796 audience scores, Metacritic 83 out of 100 with 32 critic reviews, 7.5 out of 10 with 191 user scores, Roger Ebert 4*, RollingStone 3* out of 4* Peter Travers, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 1274 reviews, Common Sense Media Jeffrey M. Anderson age 14+, 3* out of 5*, 2* positive, 1* violence, 3* sex and language, 1* consumerism, 5* drinking, drugs & smoking.

Special Note:  Jeff Bridges initially turned down his role because it didn’t contain any music?  His friend T Bone Burnett convinced him to do it anyway.  Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell did their own singing  with the assistance of voice coach Roger Love.  In preparation for the climactic concert scene, writer and director Scott Cooper approached country singer Toby Keith about filming a live segment of this film during Keith's half-time break in Albuquerque's Journal Pavilion.  Keith is thanked in the credits.  The production had ten minutes to film Bridges and Farrell performing in front of five cameras and an audience of 12,000 fans.  Cooper's insistence on the element of surprise paid off when the audience went ballistic upon discovering the unexpected stars in the guest spot.  Farrell's appearance on stage further fueled the mass hysteria as cell phone cameras lit up the auditorium.  The whole extravaganza was posted on YouTube within a matter of a few hours.

Mistakes:  When Bad Blake parks in front of his house after he gets home after his recovery he parks his car illegally?  He parks within three feet of the stop sign on the corner and this is a violation in most states of the United States?  The first time Bad Blake leaves Jean's house, the left front fender of the Suburban says “Silverado”.   The second time he leaves Jean's house, after a roll over accident, it says "Scottsdale" which means they used at least two trucks.  When Bad Blake jumps off stage to dance with a fan, he hurriedly puts his guitar back on to continue the song. The guitar strap is twisted but in the rest of the shots it is straightened out again?