Drama
PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Jeff Bridges: 57-year-old Country and Western singer Bad Blake
Maggie Gyllenhaal: 30-something Jean Craddock, newspaper music critic
Jack Nation: her four-year old son Buddy
James Keane: Bad’s agent
Colin Farrell: Bad’s protégé, superstar Tommy Sweet
Robert Duvall: Bad’s old buddy Wayne Kramer
REVIEW
This character study of someone who has seen better days while struggling to hold on is not all that unusual. What makes this film different from others is the terrific performance by Jeff Bridges, in my opinion his career-best. The supporting cast are all top notch too but he stands above the rest.
With great attention to detail (except for a few minor nitpicks mentioned below) it all rings true. In fact you might find yourself waiting for the end titles to confirm the fact it is based on the true story of so-and-so. I did.
The stunning vistas of the south-western United States have been beautifully captured and fans of C&W will love the soundtrack. I did.
CLASSIFICATION
for language and brief sexuality.FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
• Early on if you look carefully you can see Bad’s reflection in the camera lens as he is talking outside the bar he’s booked to play.
• Bad’s agent while talking on the phone has a newspaper tucked under his arm. Sometimes the fold is up, sometimes down even though he does not touch it.
• Santa Fe, New Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona are 525 miles apart and it would take 8 to 10 hours to drive the distance rather than the “3 to 4 hours” Bad tells Jean it will take him.
P.S.
For some reason Colin Farrel’s is an uncredited performance. Strange.
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