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In Contention's Kris Tapley saw Crazy Heart earlier today, and is now proclaiming that Jeff Bridges has bounded or barrel-assed into the Best Actor field, or words to that effect. I'm about to watch The Last Station and I can't embed links with an iPhone, but now I'm ever more envious of the L.A. crowd.
"It's not just Jeff Bridges who leaps onto the Oscar landscape with Scott Cooper's Crazy Heart," Tapley writes. "It's [also] possible in a few months that we'll be talking pretty seriously about Maggie Gyllenhaal in the supporting actress race and, most certainly, T-Bone Burnett's contributions as the film's music supervisor.
"[It's] a slow burn that settles warmly in the tradition of Tender Mercies or Nobody's Fool. While it might be unfair to reduce it to a 'country-music Wrestler' (as the Hollywood Reporter's Steven Zeitchik did yesterday without having seen the film), that is nonetheless a pretty streamlined way of describing the narrative.
"More importantly, however, that 'performance of a lifetime' from Bridges that Fox Searchlight was on about when the studio bought the film nearly four months ago? I think it could be this year's Oscar-winning lead actor turn walking away.
"Bridges fully embodies the broken but spirited Bad Blake, an alcoholic country singer touring the Southwest in his 1970-something Suburban, playing any dive that'll have him. He brings every inch of charisma and charm he has to a role that certainly doesn't seem made for him on the surface, but somehow ends up entirely owned by the actor come film's end.
Bridges haunts the stage behind a dark pair of aviator sunglasses, under a silvery, unshampooed mane, unmistakably conjuring the image of Hank Williams Jr. as he belts out a number of tunes from gig to gig. He shares the screen with Gyllenhaal, who plays Jean, a journalist and single-mother love interest. Gyllenhaal holds her own and provides a complex, emotional core to the story that could also nail down a few kudos here and there.
"Colin Farrell has something of a glorified cameo as Tommy Sweet, a famous modern country star who owes his career to Blake, while Robert Duvall (who also serves as one of the film's producers, along with Burnett, in fact) offers a small but meaningful supporting turn as Blake's confidante.
"From where I sit, I'm having a hard time arguing with Bridges' potential as this year's Best Actor Oscar winner -- especially when you look at the competition. George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Morgan Freeman -- they all have their Oscar. The potential for a big awards comeback from Robert De Niro was considerably muted when Everybody's Fine landed with a thud at AFI Fest last night, while other contenders just won't have the strength of 'the story' that a Bridges campaign will have.
"The man is one of the great unrecognized American actors. Crazy Heart will give voters a chance to both remember his consistency, recognize that he remains Oscarless and, best of all, feel good about checking the box next to his name. Because this really is one of his finest moments.
"I imagine we'll be talking about Crazy Heart more and more in the coming weeks and months, but those hoping for a last-minute shake-up certainly look to get their wish. These are the moments I live for in an Oscar season."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 4, 2009 at 2:54 PM
comment #1
LexG
says ...
Awesome news; Bridges is one of the all-time greats.... should he actually win, a Scorsese-level STANDING OVATION would be more than warranted.
Posted by LexG
at November 4, 2009 2:59 PM
comment #2
great scott
says ...
Since Morgan Freeman is a lock to win, it really doesn't matter who else is nominated.
Posted by great scott
at November 4, 2009 3:04 PM
comment #3
115thDreamer
says ...
Amen, LexG...Bridges is the best. Who else could embody the Dude and the President in "The Contender" within a span of 2-3 years? Unless "Invictus" sucks though, Morgan Freeman is going to be a tough man to beat, even if he did win Best Supporting 2-3 years ago.
Posted by 115thDreamer
at November 4, 2009 3:08 PM
comment #4
moviefan
says ...
I was wondering the other day what happened to this movie, I read about it a long time ago, then it disappeared. I would be very happy if it were released this year and even happier if Jeff Bridges finally received his long-deserved Oscar.
Posted by moviefan
at November 4, 2009 3:08 PM
comment #5
Mike
says ...
Can't think of many other actors who have maintained the level of excellence that Bridges has since the early '70's. The movies aren't always great, but you can never fault his performances.. I hope he finally wins this year.
Posted by Mike
at November 4, 2009 3:13 PM
comment #6
Tom Logan
says ...
If i was an aspiring actor then Bridges career would be one of those that i would aspire to emulate. His "filmography" is such great fun to delve into especially his output during the 70's and very early 80's. It's full of hidden gems.
Just this year i caught Bad Company, Winter Kills and Cutter's Way for the very first time and loved them to bits.
Can't wait to see his performance in this.
Posted by Tom Logan
at November 4, 2009 4:04 PM
comment #7
JapAdapters
says ...
I beg to differ, Mike. I agree with Bridges being among the best but he's also in rarefied air in terms of being as good as he is and having delivered some truly putrid performances. BLOWN AWAY immediately springs to mind.
I can see the pitch for this movie "It's like Tender Mercies meets American Heart."
Posted by JapAdapters
at November 4, 2009 4:12 PM
comment #8
Jack South P.I.
says ...
Jeff Bridges is the most underrated actor of his generation and perhaps all time. Now that Scorsese has his Academy Award, I can think of no more satisfying Oscar moment than Bridges finally accepting a statue he has long since earned.
Posted by Jack South P.I.
at November 4, 2009 4:25 PM
comment #9
Jack South P.I.
says ...
Especially since there is a chance Bridges will perform at least one song from the movie leading up to the Best Actor category. (I presume Crazy Heart has at least one or two originals in it to qualify for an award and Bridges has been recording music for decades.)
Posted by Jack South P.I.
at November 4, 2009 4:28 PM
comment #10
lazarus
says ...
If he's singing in this as well, I'd say that makes Bridges an even more serious threat to Freeman. When was the last time anyone was surprised by the latter? By contrast, Bridges still seems capable of anything.
Posted by lazarus
at November 4, 2009 5:54 PM
comment #11
arturobandini2
says ...
At the VERY least, Bridges deserved a nomination for Door in the Floor a few years back. I'm tired of him getting hosed by the Academy. If he gets nominated next year, I pledge to actually watch the damn show.
Posted by arturobandini2
at November 4, 2009 6:06 PM
comment #12
VoiceOfReason
says ...
A lesser known film of JB's that I dig is American Heart. An A level performance that hardly anyone saw.
Posted by VoiceOfReason
at November 4, 2009 6:42 PM
comment #13
actionman
says ...
blown away still has the best explosion of all time
Posted by actionman
at November 4, 2009 7:08 PM
comment #14
actionman
says ...
and he was incredible in fearless
Posted by actionman
at November 4, 2009 7:09 PM
comment #15
EdHavens
says ...
Jeff Bridges is most certainly NOT the most underrated actor of his or any generation, unless your only criteria for rating an actor is the number of Oscars sitting on their mantle.
Posted by EdHavens
at November 4, 2009 7:15 PM
comment #16
lazarus
says ...
So who is, Ed?
Posted by lazarus
at November 4, 2009 7:33 PM
comment #17
Phreaker
says ...
Yes, agreed Ed Havens. The Oscars are no good measure for such things. He is underrated by the Academy for sure. But he has long been respected by the film community on every level.
At any rate, this isn't just a bid to coax Fox Searchlight into the Oscar race? Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Posted by Phreaker
at November 4, 2009 7:48 PM
comment #18
Stringer Bell
says ...
Don't mean to hijack. Negative review of DeNiro's latest:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091104/en_nm/us_film_fine_1
Posted by Stringer Bell
at November 4, 2009 7:54 PM
comment #19
DeeZee
says ...
TCM gets a film fest.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010855.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Younger viewers don't have Oscar fever, for some reason.
http://riskybusiness.blogs.thr.com/2009/11/yes-martin-and-baldwin-are-older-oscar-hosts-but-this-wont-affect-ratings.html
Would you blow 250 grand on a dino skull, too?
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-nicolas-cage-spending.html
Emmerich wimps out on total destruction in 2012.
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-roland-emmerich-fatwa.html
Risk, the motion picture?
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010867.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
The MPAA agrees with Jeff on day-and-date simultaneous releases.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010890.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Hopkins and Bening join Garcia's Hemingway bio-pic.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010879.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Danny Boyle tries his luck at torture porn, er, more Oscar bait.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010894.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
Time Warner's clearly in the pro-war with Iran camp.
http://weblogs.variety.com/bfdealmemo/2009/11/hbo-plans-iran-hostage-drama.html
Depp to be in another female spy action movie with Jolie as the lead?
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010885.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1
Insert Jeff rant about young voters here.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091104/ap_on_el_gu/us_election_obama_voters
Latest shit Sherlock trailer.
http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2009/STUVWXYZ/Sherlock-Holmes/trailer.php
Avatar Japanese trailer.
http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2009/0-9ABC/Avatar/trailer.php
Scream 4: The Retirement Years?
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15582/williamson-talks-fourth-scream-
Posted by DeeZee
at November 4, 2009 8:14 PM
comment #20
lipranzer
says ...
For once, I'm in agreement with LexG. Bridges may not be "the most underrated actor" ever, but he's certainly one of them, and he definitely deserves an Oscar. Sure, he's been in a lot of bad movies, but what great actor from the 70's who's still working today hasn't? And he's given several award-caliber performances over the years (in addition to the ones already mentioned, I'd also cite FAT CITY, THE LAST AMERICAN HERO, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS, THE FISHER KING (as Gilliam has said time and again, the movie wouldn't work as well without him to balance it), and yes, THE BIG LEBOWSKI). I understand he's under the "he makes it look easy" curse, but still, he deserves a win.
Posted by lipranzer
at November 4, 2009 8:53 PM
comment #21
EdHavens
says ...
I don't know who is, Lazarus, nor would I really know how one would measure it. Bridges has four Oscar nominations and near-universal respect and admiration amongst the people who have worked with him and who haven't had the pleasure yet, so he's not underrated by his peers. He has enough name recognition to have been getting above-the-title credit for decades, so he's not underrated by the marketers or the audiences, who have spent more than a billion dollars over the years to see movies starring Bridges.
Okay, granted, nearly a third of that is just from Iron Man, but he was fucking awesome in Iron Man.
Posted by EdHavens
at November 4, 2009 8:54 PM
comment #22
DeeZee
says ...
Oh, and http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#110409 hints @ an Alien Quadrilogy BD release, an Avatar BD-3-D release, and speculates about Back to the Future, JP, and Apollo 13 on the BD format.
Posted by DeeZee
at November 4, 2009 9:26 PM
comment #23
EDouglasCS
says ...
Since when do we talk about any contributions of a music supervisor when it comes to Oscars? There's just Original Song and Original Score, neither which requires a music supervisor so much (nor are they awarded even if they were involved with getting the song for the movie)
Posted by EDouglasCS
at November 5, 2009 4:03 AM
comment #24
EDouglasCS
says ...
and I totally disagree with all the snarky cynics in L.A. who are using the death of Miramax as we know it to trash Everybody's Fine. It's got some problems but De Niro is fantastic in the movie... as is Viggo Mortensen in The Road... two movies that Tapley continues to snub his nose at merely because he didn't like the movies.
Posted by EDouglasCS
at November 5, 2009 4:06 AM
comment #25
Jack South P.I.
says ...
I stand by my assertion that Bridges is underrated because he is rarely mentioned in the same breath whenever people talk about the greatest actors of his generation. (De Niro, Pacino, Hoffman, Hackman, Streep, etc.) Having your name above-the-title hardly means you are afforded the appropriate amount of respect for your skill as an actor. (Look at people like Jennifer Aniston or Sandra Bullock or Brendan Frasier; they've bee stars for years and none have any memorable movie performances. Well, Speed, maybe.)
Try harder Ed. If your going to shoot down someone's argument, at least state a dissenting opinion we can mull over and debate. Name names!
Posted by Jack South P.I.
at November 5, 2009 6:03 AM
comment #26
EdHavens
says ...
Jack, when you leave a blank open statement without any supporting argument, it's easy to dismiss the statement. At least now you've given us something to work with.
I'll give you Bridges is not put in the same category as De Niro, Pacino, et al. But he is also not as showy as the actors you mention, save maybe Hackman, and he didn't have a signature character (Lebowski) until much later in his career.
Hell, if anything, I could argue De Niro, Pacino, Hoffman, Hackman, Streep, etc. are overrated, giving the mistaken impression Bridges is underrated. I would be hard pressed to tell you the last time I went to see a De Niro movie in a non-screening room environment if it weren't for the IMDb (the answer would be Ronin). Ditto Pacino (The Insider). Most of their more recent work would otherwise have a $2M budget and star Wings Hauser or Lou Diamond Phillips if they (De Niro or Pacino) weren't involved. Thankfully, it looks like Bridges doesn't have a Fockers or an 88 Minutes any time in his future.
Posted by EdHavens
at November 5, 2009 8:33 AM
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