Deborah Ross

Same old story

Crazy Heart<br /> 15, Nationwide

issue 20 February 2010

Crazy Heart
15, Nationwide

Crazy Heart is the film in which Jeff Bridges plays a broken-down, washed-up, boozy country music singer who may or may not be saved by the love of a good woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and while I wanted to love this film, and strived to love this film, and hadn’t really contemplated not loving this film — Jeff Bridges; romance; redemption; what’s not to love? — it just didn’t happen. Both Bridges and Gyllenhaal have been Oscar-nominated for their performances, which may prompt you to see it, and while I wouldn’t exactly wish to talk you out of that decision, and can’t be bothered anyhow, you should probably know that their performances are much, much better than this film deserves. This is a story that’s been told a thousand times, sometimes with Kris Kristofferson in it, and sometimes not, and it just doesn’t bring anything new to the party.

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