Give 'Em the Goldurned Statuette

Assuming there are thousands of other blogs discussing Avatar today, the movie and the money and the whole zeitgeist of it all, I feel pretty comfortable offering you a bit of counter-programming.  I just saw a little movie - teensy in the shadow of James Cameron's juggernaut - which, if there is any justice left in the world, ought to earn at least one Oscar in the new year.

How much do I love thee, Jeff Bridges?  Let me count the movies that would make up my personal pantheon of favorites when it comes to the guy who may well be my favorite American actor: Starman (1984), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), The Fisher King (1991), Fearless (1993), The Big Lebowski (1998) and now Crazy Heart (2009).  

He's great, of course, in the movie that introduced him to most of us - 1971's The Last Picture Show, and I developed my man-crush on Bridges in the now-overlooked Hearts of the West (1975) - perhaps because he was playing an idealistic aspiring screenwriter who comes of age in cynical Hollywood (identify much, young Bill?).

A glance at the filmography suggests that although Bridges is up for an Oscar for playing a guy named Bad, he's rarely, if ever, been anything but good - even when stuck in middling mainstream melodrama (e.g. Against All Odds, 1984), ahead-of-its-time genre weirdness (Tron, 1982) or too dark for the room misfires (The Vanishing, 1993). 

Though he's been perfectly believable as both an American president (2000's The Contender), and a nefarious comic book villain (Iron Man, 2008), Bridges has long been seemingly most well-suited to playing shaggy-haired underdog misfits (e.g. 1972's Fat City, 1981's Cutter's Bone).  But he's also done the romantic leading man thing many times over, even holding his own with Jane Fonda (The Morning After, 1986) and Streisand (The Mirror Has Two Faces, 1996). 

Perhaps what's contributed to Bridge's versatility in this regard is his cool but oddly amenable reserve.  He's removed - one step back behind those shrewd but kindly eyes.  He's both present (in a palpably vulnerable way), and hidden (figuring out the angles of whatever defensive edifice his character is trying to construct).  His feelings are visible, but you're conscious of the effort he's putting into trying to keep them to himself.

 

Up until now I'd have agreed with popular consensus that The Iconic Jeff Bridges Role would be Lebowski.  But go see Crazy Heart (this is, after all, the point of my meandering valentine) and see if you don't agree: as Bad Blake, a nearly washed-up, literally and metaphorically wasted country western singer, Bridges has never been better. 

That Bridges fits so well into the worn blue jeans of Bad is due in part to the exemplary efforts of one great musical team: T-Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton wrote the songs for him.  Sadly, Bruton - for years Kris Kristofferson's guitarist - died recently, but this makes quite a swan song. 

Many movies have attempted to make credible, memorable singer-songwriter characters come to life on the screen, but Crazy Heart delivers the goods: you believe these are hit songs, you believe Bad Blake wrote them, and well before the closing credits, you want to buy the soundtrack: these aren't throw-away faux-numbers, they're great tunes, period.

It helps that Bridges can sing (you can hear some of his own compositions on his website).  Helps that the lovely Maggie Gyllenhaal plays opposite, and it surely helps that newbie director Scott Cooper (who also wrote the adaptation of Thomas Cobb's novel) has done such a fine job with such predictable material.  

Make no mistake, this is an old, familiar story - you've seen it before, and in the case of supporting actor Robert Duvall, you've even seen it with that guy in it (Duvall essentially played the Bridges part in Horton Foote's Tender Mercies in 1983).  But Cooper has added surprising notes and undertones to an old wine to make it memorable.

Avatar will be bursting off its 3-D screen for months to come, and you'll have your pick of theaters (and dimensions) to see it in.  Crazy Heart may soon disappear, and be harder to find, so you might want to seek it out.  And those Academy voters ought to put that gold thinger into the hand where it's long belonged.

Comments

[E.C. Henry]

"Avatar" in 3-D is AWESOME! Well worth the hype.

Jeff Bridges is cool. Loved him in "The Faboulous Baker Boys" and "Starman." Can't wait to see him in the next "Tron" installment.

Will see "Crazy Heart" JUST to see Jeff Bridge's performance, and to honor your man-crush. BUT Billy, even living in Bonney Lake, Washington hasn't helped me acquire a taste for country music. That's a tough sell for this ex-heavy metal enthusiast.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

[Judith Duncan]

Hey Billy,
I totally agree with you about Jeff Bridges.'Starman', 'The Fisher King' and 'Fearless' are three of my favourite films.He's always had a real warmth on screen that is incredibly attractive.At the moment all the guys at work are talking about,'Avatar',however,I heard it
described as ,'Dances with Wolves' with Smurfs.I will check out ,'Crazy Heart' as soon as it hits the cinemas in Aus.
Cheers,
Judith

[Patrick]

Another very good Bridges movie worth checking out is "Bad Company", directed by Robert Benton, seems to be nearly forgotten now for some reason.

[mernitman]

EC: Ex? So was it something Metallica said? And what's replaced your heavy metal enthusiasm?

Judith: I think you'll really dig it.

Patrick: Yes! BAD CO. is typical of a number of early '70s movies - back in the days when studios actually made what we'd now consider "indie films" - that have fallen through the cracks over the years, but I too think it holds up well. Similarly gone-but-not-forgotten, for those of us who care, is the Bridges-starring Tom McGuane pic, RANCHO DELUXE (1975).

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=802349586]

Howdy. Long time no post. For me. I have to agree that this Bridges has that something. I liked him more in Fearless though as he showed a degree of vulnerability mixed with strength.

Haven't sen Crazy Heart but if it's well-written it should have that and good acting.

Even "The Door in the Floor" was good though a bit quirky and overtly sexual.

[Tom]

1981's "Cutter's Bone" - was released as "Cutter's Way" but based on a book called "Cutter and Bone" - and a real forgotten masterpiece.

Also, Bridges was nominated for supporting actor in another early 70's near-forgotten picture, Cimino's "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot."

[mernitman]

Christian: I'm with you on DOOR, which was a dark and only somewhat involving pic.

Tom: Thanks for the correction! I had movie and book confused in memory. Also a fan of THUNDERBOLT, which even Eastwood fans tend to forget.

[hansenfilm]

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=208807993542&ref=search&sid=1082739637.1288698797..1

Join the campaign.

[Greg]

I've been a fan of Bridges since 70s quirky heist film, "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot."

Just rewatched "The Big Lebowski" and, while Bridges is cool as the Dude & John Goodman is good as the crazed, gun-toting Walter, the movie as a whole is just a mess... a ramshackle plot scotch-taped together with numerous kidnappings and misunderstandings... Liked the characters, not so much the movie. Anybody else think the same?

[Boracay Beach Resort]

To me Jeff Bridges is truly one of the best actors of all time.

[SEO Los Angeles]

hats down to this man. Whatever role he does he does it with passion and that is what I like about him.

[China Web Hosting]

I totally agree that Jeff Bridges is one great actor. Thumbs up for this post!

[joanna farnsworth]

And the Golden Globe goes to ... That's our man! This is what we, the long-suffering audience, want MORE of on that big screen - real actors that can act - speak, emote, and sing - and who have a history that proves it. Take it away, Jeff!

[mernitman]

Hansenfilm: Great campaign.

Greg: Wellllll... For all its deliberate ramshackle quirkiness, I still love the movie, too.

Boracay: Agreed.

SEO: Ditto.

China: Uh-huh. But what's up with you and your friends (Boracay and SEO) commenting as commercial entities? Is this because the Supreme Court decided corporations are people?

Joanna: Yay for the Globe. I liked his speech...

[Translation Los Angeles]

Jeff Bridges is an amazing actor. not matter what role he is given, he always delivers.

[best romance movies]

Jeff Bridges... well, it's 'bout time!!! I think he also deserved an Oscar for his role in "Starman".

[los angeles seo]

everything bridges is in is awesome. he is like wine. gets better with age. his father was great too

[smipsyBup]

I am the first time being here.
Delighted to get in touch with every one right here.