CRAZY HEART

CAROLINE: I’ve been waiting for weeks for you to see one of my favorite movies of 2009, Crazy Heart, starring recent Golden Globe winner, Jeff Bridges.

RYAN: Honey, the wait is over. I’ve seen it and it’s one of the best naps I’ve ever had.

CAROLINE: I knew you wouldn’t like it! You don’t like country music and you don’t like male vocalists.

RYAN: There’s much about it I thought was great, but overall, I thought it was slow and boring.

CAROLINE: It’s definitely slow, but not in a bad way. I was so impressed with the music and Jeff’s singing. Plus I love a good drunk movie.

RYAN: That’s exactly what this was. It’s basically a remake of Leaving Las Vegas, and what made that work for Nic Cage is clearly also the winning ticket for Jeff Bridges.

CAROLINE: Please. It doesn’t have anything in common with that movie other than the drinking. I see the comparison in that respect, but Crazy Heart is a movie about a country musician. It’s completely different. You’re just having a battitude.

RYAN: I will say that Maggie Gyllenhaal actually looked better in this movie than she usually does, and probably gave her best performance since Sherrybaby.

CAROLINE: I thought she was great too. I so prefer her in movies like this than big budget Batman types. I loved her relationship with Jeff Bridges’s character. I just loved the whole thing. The story, the songs, Colin Farrell, the drama. Again, it’s one of my favorites of last year.

RYAN: There was too much music for me, and I didn’t enjoy it; probably because, as you said, I’m not a big country music fan.

CAROLINE: Neither am I, but I still totally dug the music and am even considering buying the soundtrack. This movie just totally worked for me on every level. It’s from a first-time director too, which is very impressive.

RYAN: I was surprised to see Robert Duvall in the movie. He doesn’t appear till later on and I didn’t know he was in it. He was good too.

CAROLINE: I love it when actors do their own singing and are actually good at it. Both Colin Farrell and Jeff Bridges totally held their own. Nicole Kidman could take a tip from these dudes.

— BOTTOM LINE —

RYAN: If you don’t like country music, this is hard pill to swallow. It’s slow and boring, but the dramatic moments are excellent; I just wish they’d been more drawn out. I totally see why Jeff Bridges is getting accolades, but to me it’s just a great performance in a mediocre film.

CAROLINE: I couldn’t disagree more. I think it’s a great movie and even though I can’t stand country music, I really got into this. The story is compelling and very real. I loved all the human drama, relationship issues, drinking issues, family issues, etc. It really made me feel something, which is what a good movie is supposed to do. I highly recommend!

— RATING —