The Film
If it wasn't for "The Dude" (Jeff Bridges) finally snagging an Oscar this year, most people probably wouldn't know one thing about Crazy Heart. Unless you live in a major metropolitan area, the closest theater showing the film was probably a good 30 or more miles away. However, it was actually worth the drive, because Jeff Bridges is stellar -- oh, and it's a good movie, too.
Like The Wrestler, this is a little film with a lot of heart. Also like The Wrestler, the film's main character went from top of the world to bottom of the barrel. Unfortunately, we really only get to see the downward spiral portion of the program. Within the first few moments of the film, it's hard to blame Bad Blake (Bridges) for his turning point. He seems to have been a well-known country singer who is now relegated to playing bowling alleys [ed.: maybe "The Dude" just can't stay away from the lanes?].
Crazy Heart is incredibly dark -- not just in tone, but in the actual image. The film is a bit gritty, but even in its darkest moments, the 2.35:1 transfer never loses any of the detail. The best images are the filthiest, when Bad is at his absolute lowest points. The creases on his face and that funky facial hair stand out, saying almost as much about Bad's character as his music. As a counterpoint to that darkness, there are a few gorgeous and vividly bright outdoor scenes, which show off the bright skies and the omnipresent dust of the New Mexico backdrop.
The Sound
From the get-go, you know that you are in for a real show here. The DTS-HD Master Audio track blasts Bad's music, which sound great with or without bowling pins crashing in the background. The film is filled with music, which is its strongest audio point, obviously. You can hear every chord, every exhausted breath, and you don't even have to be a country music fan to appreciate how good it all sounds. Just make sure to keep the remote handy, because some of The Dude's dialogue can be a little hard to decipher. We found ourselves cranking it up during dialogue, only to get blasted a few moments later when a song broke out.
The Extras
Thank goodness that the audio and video are good because the extras aren't going to have people grabbing this one off the shelves. While the deleted/alternate scenes are worth whipping through, the only other extras are a trailer and three minutes of Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Robert Duvall talking about why they did the movie. Three stinking minutes! We've seen longer clips on TMZ. It's extremely disappointing that there's no commentary, no Colin Farrell, no T Bone Burnett short, and nothing on first-time director (and actor) Scott Cooper.
Final Thoughts
The story has its faults, but Crazy Heart is a good Jeff Bridges vehicle, which is always welcomed. After Starman, The Fisher King, The Big Lebowski, Seabiscuit, The Last Picture Show, and even Tron, it's nice to see this guy finally getting the recognition he deserves -- and if you see this movie, you will know he does deserve it. Fox completely cheaped out on the extras, but produced an overall nice Blu-ray package. It's well worth picking up, even if the sad story keeps it out of regular rotation.
Product Details
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