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CRAZY HEARTMovie Reviews
Drama about a washed-up, alcoholic country music legend in a protracted tailspin who tries to make a go of it with a young journalist. Cast:Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin FarrellDirector:Scott CooperRelease Date:December 16, 2009DVD Release:April 20, 2010From:Fox SearchlightRating:RLength:1 hr 52 min
Crazy Heart played to outstanding reviews. • Joe Morgenstern wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "...blessed with so many marvelous moments, lovely lines and vivid characters that it's hard to know where to begin..." • And David Ansen wrote in Newsweek, "Bridges is phenomenal.... ‘Crazy Heart’ gets to you like a good country song — not because it tells you something new, but because it tells it well." More Reviews Below...
Leah Rozen, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a marvelously loose-limbed character study... Jeff Bridges gives a deeply felt performance, one as authentic and lived-in as the worn couch in Blake's living room."(See all of Leah Rozen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 92 words, 12/10/09
Mary Pols, Time: OUTSTANDING "...for all that meticulous craft, Bridges still gives such an organic performance, you sometimes forget it's him you're watching... he just keeps getting better at it."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 841 words, 12/18/09
David Ansen, Newsweek: EXCELLENT "Bridges is phenomenal.... 'Crazy Heart' gets to you like a good country song -- not because it tells you something new, but because it tells it well."(See all of David Ansen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 320 words, 11/30/09
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: EXCELLENT(cg) "Bridges' guileless performance makes this piquant little indie tale of country music, redemption, and the love of a pretty younger woman such a sad-song charmer."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 429 words, 12/18/09
Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: MODERATE(cg) "Jeff Bridges offers a great performance, but his hokey romance with Maggie Gyllenhaal contrasts too harshly with the film's gritty realism..."(See all of Thelma Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 66 words, 12/17/09
Claudia Puig, USA Today: VERY GOOD(cg) "...has great music. Even if you're not a country music fan, the songs, by T Bone Burnett and the late Stephen Bruton, are infectious."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 491 words, 12/16/09
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "Drinking, cheating, love gone wrong... there is always room for another version of that old song about the guy who messed it all up and kept on going."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 999 words, 12/16/09
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...what Bridges brings, including vocals on new T-Bone Burnett songs and an amiable portrait of a wounded talent, is crazy great.... he's as Best Actor-worthy as ever..."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 376 words, 12/16/09
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The movie knows more about alcoholism than many films do, and has more of that wisdom onscreen, not least from the Duvall character."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 944 words, 12/24/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "Jeff Bridges is on the road to an Oscar... Excellent music and Colin Farrell's impressive turn as a Blake protege and rival are added bonuses."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 862 words, 12/16/09
Kyle Smith, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...thanks to evocative settings, compassionate acting and the high-caliber country songs written for the film, the film is humbly radiant, a small thing gracefully done."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 503 words, 12/16/09
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "Scott Cooper handles this story with care and lets his actors do their excellent work. Maggie Gyllenhaal is sympathetic... but the movie belongs entirely to Bridges..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 243 words, 01/22/10
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "The movie turns out to be another ode to the healing powers of AA... But there's a grounded and shockingly credible turn by Colin Farrell..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 236 words, 12/14/09
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "One of the strengths of 'Crazy Heart' is the authenticity of the songs... Bridges is a great enough actor to make us believe these songs could be his own."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 680 words, 01/15/10
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: OUTSTANDING "Writer/director Scott Cooper knows exactly when a scene's over, fills his movie's margins with distinct bit players, and is a smart custodian to Bridges's Bad Blake."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 847 words, 12/16/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...factory-issue melodrama about an aging country star is all prefab despair and redemption.... But Bridges and Gyllenhaal make this generic effort worth a look..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 222 words, 01/14/10
KEY CITIES (15 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "Watching Bridges croon and carouse his way through 'Crazy Heart' is to witness something of a capstone to one of Hollywood's most enduring careers."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 487 words, 01/08/10
Mick LaSalle, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Bridges understands Bad Blake so completely and is so confident and competent in his capacity as a singer that the acting doesn't stop at the stage door."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 693 words, 01/15/10
Christopher Kelly, Dallas Morning News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...illuminates the lonely, hardscrabble experience of living on the road.... The result is an old-fashioned melodrama with the urgency and grit of a documentary."(See all of Christopher Kelly's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 440 words, 12/25/09
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "Bridges and Colin Farrell do their own singing, quite effectively. The songs, written by Stephen Bruton and T Bone Burnett, are perfect, just the kind of thing Bad would write."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 495 words, 12/25/09
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Hand the Oscar to Jeff Bridges right now, and let's be done with it.... a sublime American indie from writer/director Scott Cooper..."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 665 words, 01/15/10
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: OUTSTANDING(cg) "You've seen 'Crazy Heart' before - many, many times, actually - but it doesn't much matter.... The role may yet win Bridges his first Oscar... it doesn't feel like a reach..."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 853 words, 01/08/10
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "This is called acting, and it is why famous actors will agree to a pay cut to take a role.... Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell do shrewd, precise work together..."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 615 words, 01/15/10
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Scott Cooper is a rare talent; he knows how to keep his story fine-boned and small, and to write a truly complex, troubled character who nonetheless enters our hearts."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 604 words, 01/08/10
Clint O'Connor, Cleveland Plain-Dealer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The real joy of 'Crazy Heart,' the latest rise and fall and rise cinema saga, is the five-star turn by Bridges. He's at the top of his game on any kind of stage."(See all of Clint O'Connor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 427 words, 01/22/10
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: VERY GOOD(cg) "...meaty, earthy and entirely guileless acting, with muscle at its heart and a soft-sell delivery.... It's special work from a special talent."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 425 words, 01/15/10
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "Maggie Gyllenhaal is more fiercely maternal and romantically conflicted than the usual sexy savior, and Robert Duvall adds a hopeful note as Blake's most loyal friend."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 350 words, 01/22/10
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Bridges accomplishes something astonishing with this role... Funny how Bad's falling does feels like flying, thanks to an acting master on the brink of finally getting his due."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 598 words, 02/04/10
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the great Jeff Bridges delivers another unfussy, offhand performance of such depth and truth that you ask, 'Why has this man never won an Oscar?' "(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 468 words, 01/29/10
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "Bridges' superb performance - not the slight plot - carries the weight.... He brings his 50 years of acting experience to this one captivating, surprisingly moving performance."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 575 words, 01/29/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (6 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: OUTSTANDING "Writer/director Scott Cooper knows exactly when a scene's over, fills his movie's margins with distinct bit players, and is a smart custodian to Bridges's Bad Blake."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 847 words, 12/16/09
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "It's a juicy, career-crowning role, and Bridges -- a master of subtle brilliance -- plays the hell out of it.... 'Crazy Heart' haunts you like a classic country song."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 449 words, 12/11/09
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Bridges has re-entered Dude territory and crawled out the other side, ditching the dope, swapping the White Russians for sour mash and his bowling ball for a guitar."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 601 words, 01/07/10
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...factory-issue melodrama about an aging country star is all prefab despair and redemption.... But Bridges and Gyllenhaal make this generic effort worth a look..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 222 words, 01/14/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "Drinking, cheating, love gone wrong... there is always room for another version of that old song about the guy who messed it all up and kept on going."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 999 words, 12/16/09
David Denby, New Yorker: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...has a gentle, unforced rhythm, and what's there is good and true. But there's not enough of it -- the movie needs more plot, more complication, more conflict..."(See all of David Denby's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 431 words, 12/07/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "Jeff Bridges is on the road to an Oscar... Excellent music and Colin Farrell's impressive turn as a Blake protege and rival are added bonuses."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 862 words, 12/16/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Todd McCarthy, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "Cooper and company put a strong enough stamp on the familiar material to make it their own.... But all others are mere planets revolving around Jeff Bridges' sun..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,138 words, 11/30/09
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD "...features a fine performance by Jeff Bridges in an otherwise unremarkable movie.... He is the mesmerizing, dangerous, unpredictable heart of 'Crazy Heart.' "(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 841 words, 11/30/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "Jeff Bridges is on the road to an Oscar... Excellent music and Colin Farrell's impressive turn as a Blake protege and rival are added bonuses."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 862 words, 12/16/09
A.O. Scott, New York Times: EXCELLENT "Drinking, cheating, love gone wrong... there is always room for another version of that old song about the guy who messed it all up and kept on going."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 999 words, 12/16/09
14.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Crazy Heart's reviews are separated by an average 14.6 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Crazy Heart (41 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Crazy Heart's reviews cover 90.6% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 22,271 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 543 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 39.0 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Crazy Heart's reviews on average broke 39.0 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Crazy Heart's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Crazy Heart (41 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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