Hands up if you think Jeff Bridges is Most Underrated Actor of his Time. (OK, now who thinks that bittersweet title actually belongs to his brother Beau?) In any event, the younger Bridges looks to be headed towards another Oscar nomination for 'Crazy Heart.' And the fifth time may be the charm. The movie, which hits theaters Dec. 16, tells the tale of Bad Blake (Bridges), a recording artist reduced to bowling alley gigs, with a C-list agent, a carload of great songs and a huge grudge on Tommy (Colin Farrell), a protégé now enjoying runaway success (any similarity to 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is coincidental but a bit startling).
Bad Blake's life on the edge mirrors the film's own history. According to the New York Times, 'Crazy Heart' looked headed straight to video, before ICM chairman Jeff Berg made the push for a theatrical release. The agency represents director Scott Cooper, and Berg was concerned that Paramount had declined to distribute the film (the movie was financed by Country Music Television; Paramount and CMT are under the Viacom tent.) Fox Searchlight snapped up 'Crazy,' hoping Country Music Television's audience (and Oscar cognoscenti) would discover it on the big screen.
Bridges has played dissipated before ('The Big Lebowski' and 'The Fisher King' -- two amazing performances passed over by Academy voters.) But in 'Crazy Heart,' Bad sinks below rock bottom. Though full of grizzled dialogue, you may wish Cooper spent more time with Bridges' silent gestures. Watch him with an uncooperative pack of cigarettes or a chain lock that doesn't link, and you'll know why he's a storyteller's dream. Let's also consider that Bridges' last Oscar nomination came for playing a beleaguered President of the United States ('The Contender').
The man simply has a range that's otherworldly; in fact, he's also been an alien ('Starman') and an alien's shrink ("K-Pax.') Bridges does his own snoring and more importantly, his own singing in 'Crazy Heart' (which in this post-MGM musical era, counts for something come Oscar time). Sissy Spacek and Robert Duvall -- playing country stars in 'Coal Miner's Daughter' and "Tender Mercies" respectively -- sang their way to a statuette. Maestro T-Bone Burnett ('O Brother Where Art Thou?'), responsible for much of 'Crazy's rugged soundtrack, is a good bet for a songwriting nomination.
The California-bred actor's resume is one that can truly be called way awesome. His first Oscar nomination came four years before his 'Crazy Heart' co-star, Maggie Gyllenhaal, was born. Bridges lost 1973's Best Supporting Actor Oscar to his 'The Last Picture Show' cast mate, Ben Johnson. Nods for 'Thunderbolt and Lightfoot,' (1974) 'Starman' (1984) and 'The Contender' (2000) followed.
If Jeff Bridges' name isn't heard when nominations are announced February 2nd, then, in the immortal words of McCroskey from 'Airplane,' (played by his father, Lloyd Bridges) it's the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.
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