SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: CRAZY HEART

"CRAZY HEART"
(2009) (Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Extreme	Mild	Heavy	Mild	None

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	None	Minor	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Extreme	Heavy	Heavy	Mild

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A formerly famous but currently washed up and alcoholic country singer finds his life of playing small joints brightened a bit when he meets and then falls for a much younger, divorced mom.

PLOT:

Bad Blake (JEFF BRIDGES) was once a big thing in the world of country music, but he's now a mostly washed up and alcoholic, 57-year-old performer who plays bowling alleys and bars for tiny crowds of adoring fans who still love his old work. He does too, and would rather spend his time drinking and/or with middle-aged groupies rather than write anything new, much to the chagrin of his manager, Jack (JAMES KEANE), who's always hustling to book his gigs.

He's clearly reluctant to work with his former protege and band-member, Tommy Sweet (COLIN FARRELL), who's now a big thing on the country music scene. He certainly doesn't want to talk about him to Jean Craddock (MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL), a local reporter in El Paso who lands the rare interview. A single mom to 4-year-old Buddy (JACK NATION), Jean just wants the story, but she finds the unkempt star interesting, while he's near-instantly smitten with the much younger woman.

Despite her hesitancy to get involved with any man again, the two become an item. Yet, his drinking and always being on the road -- including eventually hooking up again with Tommy who still idolizes him -- threatens to put a strain on that. With the help of his old friend and bar owner, Wayne (ROBERT DUVALL), however, Bad hopes to prove he's a changed man to Jean and thus allow him to stay in her and Buddy's lives.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Older teens might be interested, as might fans of country music and/or anyone in the cast.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language and brief sexuality.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: JEFF BRIDGES plays a washed up and alcoholic former great in the world of country music. Now living off his past fame and what meager paychecks he can earn playing bowling alleys and small bars, he's often drunk, yet never fails to play, although never up to his abilities. He smokes a great deal, uses a lot of strong profanity, and sleeps with his middle-aged groupies. He also sleeps with Jean after becoming smitten with her, and forms a father-like connection with her young son. Yet, his drinking gets in the way of his involvement with them, and he eventually tries to get sober while also agreeing to start writing new songs again, including for his former protege, Tommy.
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL plays a reporter and single mom to a 4-year-old son who ends up in a relationship with Bad despite their age difference and her initial wariness about getting involved with anyone. She likes having a male figure in Buddy's life, but doesn't want him seeing Bad drinking. When the latter shows its true colors, however, she pulls the plug. She drinks a little and briefly uses strong profanity.
ROBERT DUVALL plays Bad's old friend, a former alcoholic himself who runs a bar and tries to help Bad kick the booze and get his life straight.
COLIN FARRELL plays Bad's former protege and band member who's now eclipsed his mentor, but still idolizes and wants him to write new music for him. He uses profanity and briefly smokes.
JAMES KEANE plays Bad's manager who's always hustling to arrange performing gigs for him. He uses some profanity.
JACK NATION plays Jean's 4-year-old boy who enjoys having Bad in his life.; MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL plays a reporter and single mom to a 4-year-old son who ends up in a relationship with Bad despite their age difference and her initial wariness about getting involved with anyone. She likes having a male figure in Buddy's life, but doesn't want him seeing Bad drinking. When the latter shows its true colors, however, she pulls the plug. She drinks a little and briefly uses strong profanity.
ROBERT DUVALL plays Bad's old friend, a former alcoholic himself who runs a bar and tries to help Bad kick the booze and get his life straight.
COLIN FARRELL plays Bad's former protege and band member who's now eclipsed his mentor, but still idolizes and wants him to write new music for him. He uses profanity and briefly smokes.
JAMES KEANE plays Bad's manager who's always hustling to arrange performing gigs for him. He uses some profanity.
JACK NATION plays Jean's 4-year-old boy who enjoys having Bad in his life.; ROBERT DUVALL plays Bad's old friend, a former alcoholic himself who runs a bar and tries to help Bad kick the booze and get his life straight.
COLIN FARRELL plays Bad's former protege and band member who's now eclipsed his mentor, but still idolizes and wants him to write new music for him. He uses profanity and briefly smokes.
JAMES KEANE plays Bad's manager who's always hustling to arrange performing gigs for him. He uses some profanity.
JACK NATION plays Jean's 4-year-old boy who enjoys having Bad in his life.; COLIN FARRELL plays Bad's former protege and band member who's now eclipsed his mentor, but still idolizes and wants him to write new music for him. He uses profanity and briefly smokes.
JAMES KEANE plays Bad's manager who's always hustling to arrange performing gigs for him. He uses some profanity.
JACK NATION plays Jean's 4-year-old boy who enjoys having Bad in his life.; JAMES KEANE plays Bad's manager who's always hustling to arrange performing gigs for him. He uses some profanity.
JACK NATION plays Jean's 4-year-old boy who enjoys having Bad in his life.; JACK NATION plays Jean's 4-year-old boy who enjoys having Bad in his life.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 17 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Non explicit, but sexually related dialogue is briefly present. Some fooling around occurs (groping, a scantly clad woman), with sex implied there and in other scenes, while an out of shape man is occasionally seen shirtless in various scenes.

There's a brief, one-vehicle accident resulting in an injury, while a TV movie shows a brief punch. A great deal of smoking and drinking (with the main character being an alcoholic) occurs throughout the film, as do bad attitudes. Some scatological material is present, as is potentially imitative behavior as well as tense family material including a mother worrying about her briefly missing 4-year-old boy.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Bad has a drink in a bowling alley and wants to start a tab. He's informed, however, that his performance contract doesn't allow that (meaning his reputation precedes him).
Bad wants to buy booze in a liquor store, but doesn't have enough money. The owner and fan, however, gives him a free bottle of his favorite. We later see Bad drinking in bed.
Bad mentions never missing playing, even when drunk.
Miscellaneous people drink in a bowling alley where Bad is to perform. We see him drink from a flask and he's later drunk while performing. He then stumbles outside and vomits into a trashcan (not seen in full, but heard, and he wipes his mouth). He then pulls his sunglasses from the trashcan and wipes them off, and then returns to the stage to continue performing.
Bad sneaks out of a motel room after presumed sex with a groupie, and he's carrying a bottle of booze.
Bad has a drink.
Bad asks if Jean wants a drink. She declines, and he pours himself some more.
Miscellaneous people drink at a performance.
Bad has a drink.
Bad has a drink, and gives one to Jean.
Bad asks Jean if she wants a drink and she says yes. We then see them sitting on his motel bed, and he has his drink on his chest.
We see a case of whiskey in Bad and his house band's dressing room, and he mentions drinking some of that.
Bad has a drink with dinner.
Bad asks Tommy about giving up whiskey, with the latter saying he did for his throat.
An attending physician tells Bad that the latter is an alcoholic.
Bad has a drink and hands that to Jean while she's upset, and she drinks some of that.
Jean asks Bad that he not drink in front of Buddy. Bad agrees and downs the last of his drink.
Bad and Jean have wine with dinner.
Bad hurriedly drinks from a flask right when he gets back to Jean's home after a day out with Buddy (and no drinking).
Bad drinks from a flask before driving off (drunk driving).
Wayne pours a shot for Bad and himself.
Bad drinks.
Bad has a beer while fishing with Wayne.
Despite being in charge of 4-year-old Buddy and breaking his promise to Jean not to drink in front of her son, Bad has a drink in a bar.
Bad falls to his bed with a bottle, seemingly drunk.
Bad calls Wayne and says he wants to get sober. We then see Bad at an AA meeting where he says he's been drunk most of his life.
Wayne implies he knows what Bad is going through in trying to get sober, telling him to take it from someone who's been there.
Miscellaneous people drink in a bar.
A song has a line about whiskey being a thorn in your side that doesn't forget.

BLOOD/GORE: Bad empties what's presumably a jug of his urine after arriving at his destination following driving a long distance.
Bad jokingly comments on having hemorrhoids so bad it feels like having a nest of fire ants "up your ass."
Bad drinks from a flask and he's later drunk while performing. He then stumbles outside and vomits into a trashcan (not seen in full, but heard, and he wipes his mouth). He then pulls his sunglasses from the trashcan and wipes them off, and then returns to the stage to continue performing.
Bad urinates out in the country after making a telephone call. Nothing is seen or heard, and his back is to the camera.
Bad falls asleep while driving. He wakes up, swerves, goes off the road, and his truck rolls once, leaving him unconscious and a little bloody.
When Wayne tells Bad, "You look like sh*t," Bad jokingly replies, "I know, it's on account of all the toilets I have to play in."
Bad vomits into a toilet, and we see a little hanging from his mouth.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Bad doesn't want anything to do with Tommy (due to the latter's success and his own fall from great fame), despite the latter idolizing and wanting to help his former mentor.
Bad drinks from a flask before driving off (drunk driving).
Bad says "We'd all be speaking Mexican" while talking about what would have happened had Sam Houston not defeated the Mexicans in the past.
Despite being in charge of 4-year-old Buddy and breaking his promise to Jean not to drink in front of her son, Bad has a drink in a bar and thus unintentionally allows the boy to slip away and end up missing.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Bad falls asleep while driving. He wakes up, swerves, goes off the road, and his truck rolls once, leaving him unconscious and a little bloody (we later hear he has a concussion and broken ankle).
While getting a drink in a bar during the day, Bad realizes that Buddy is missing and then races about trying to find him. When Jean learns of this, she's understandably concerned and angry at Bad.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*cking bowling alley" "F*cker," "F*ck you," "Whole f*cking life," "I don't owe him a f*cking thing," "F*ck yes," "Don't f*ck it up," "See you later, you f*cking asshole," "F*ck up," "I hope he don't f*ck it up," "He can't f*ck it up," "Cut the sh*t," "I don't have time for this sh*t," "Ah, sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "You look like sh*t" (followed by "I know, it's on account of all the toilets I have to play in"), "You c*cks*cker," "Bastard," "A hell of a long time," "Hell, I am the band," "That son of a bitch," "You jerk-off," "You get your ass out here," "I'll be G*ddamned," "Who the hell are you?" "How the hell do you know?" "I want to talk about how bad you make this room look," "I'm busting my ass," "No G*ddman way," "Yes, G*ddman, yes," "How the hell are you?" "Too damn sweet for me," "That's a ball buster," "A hell of a tour," "Ugliest G*ddamn boots," "Straight crap," "Too many G*ddman songs," "Who gives a damn about me?" "It's like living with a rattlesnake," "A damn good idea," "We'd all be speaking Mexican," "What the hell?" "Hell, I don't know," "Self-involved assholes," "Lost a hell of a lot," "Get your butt in the truck," "That's one hell of a song" and "Hell, me too."
A miscellaneous guy has a tattoo on his arm.
Various groupies come on to and/or sleep with Bad.
A miscellaneous person has a tattoo.
Bad uses his crutch to push/propel Buddy on a swing.
Bad drinks from a flask before driving off (drunk driving).

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A song has a line about whiskey being a thorn in your side that doesn't forget.
A song includes the word "damn."

PROFANITY: At least 17 "f" words, 12 "s" words, 1 slang term using male genitals ("c*cks*cker"), 17 hells, 8 asses (2 used with "hole"), 8 damns, 4 S.O.B.s, 2 craps, 13 uses of "G-damn," 4 of "Jesus Christ," 3 each of "Jesus" and "Oh my God," 2 of "God" and 1 use each of "Lord" and "Oh God."

SEX/NUDITY: We briefly see a small view of a couple on TV doing some nuzzling, and as the camera shot pans away from the TV, we hear related sounds from that.
We see Bad with his shirt open.
We see Bad shirtless in bed.
We see Bad sneaking out of a motel room, leaving a presumed, middle-aged groupie in bed. She's asleep, and the top of her bare breast is seen (no nipple).
Bad drives while shirtless.
Bad is in just a towel when Jean walks in for an interview. She's embarrassed and leaves so he can change, but his shirt is still open when she returns.
A middle-aged woman comes on to Bad after a performance. He says he'd take her up on her offer, but has an interview to do, so she hands him her card. After his interview with Jean is over, he pulls out the other woman's card (but we don't know if anything happens).
Bad and Jean kiss on a bed, with her then getting on top of him (both clothed). The scene ends, and we see them in bed the next morning, presumably nude under the sheets (we see her bare back) and they do some playful cuddling.
Upon being released from the hospital following an accident, Bad jokes with Jean about blue pills (presumably Viagra) and wondering if he can get a prescription for them.
About his manager booking his latest performance, Bad jokingly tells the man that if he knew his sister was turning $5 tricks, he'd overbook her.
Bad playfully lifts up the front of Jean's dress, with nothing seen, and then does that again. His hand is then up her dress to her breast (actual contact not seen), followed by nuzzling, more groping, and then a view of her in her panties. His hand then goes down them (actual contact not seen), followed by a view of her in her bra, with more kissing, and him on top of her, with the scene ending there and sex is implied.
Jean passionately kisses Bad in his truck before he drives off.
We see Bad on a bed with his shirt open.
We see Bad in just his briefs in bed, and then on the bathroom floor after getting sick in there.
Jean shows a little cleavage in a dress.
We see Bad shirtless.

SMOKING: Bad smokes throughout the film (at least 20 times), while Tommy smokes once, as does at least one miscellaneous character.
Bad lights up in a bowling alley where he's to play. The owner tells him there's no smoking, but he can finish that one. Bad does, and then puts it out in his own drink.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We hear that Jean was married and is now a single mom to 4-year-old Buddy.
We hear that Bad has been married 4 times, but when Jean asks if he has any kids, he doesn't reply.
When Bad asks about Buddy's father, Jean says she made mistakes before and doesn't want to make them twice.
Tommy comments on trying to hold his marriage together in the past during a tour with Bad.
Bad states that he has a 28-year-old son who he hasn't seen since the boy was 4. He adds that he doesn't know anything about him, and wasn't there for the boy, even when he was physically present.
Bad places a call to his ex-wife, but ends up talking to their adult son. Bad learns his ex-wife has been dead for 2 years, and the adult son is not happy to hear from his dad and wants nothing to do with him.
While getting a drink in a bar during the day, Bad realizes that Buddy is missing and then races about trying to find him. When Jean learns of this, she's understandably concerned and angry at Bad.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Performers living off their past fame rather than trying anything new.
Alcoholism.
We hear that Jean was married and is now a single mom to 4-year-old Buddy.
Groupies.
There's talk of classic vs. what now poses as country music.
We hear that Bad has or is in danger of having emphysema, heart failure and cancer.
Parents estranged from their adult children.
Bad calls Wayne and says he wants to get sober. We then see Bad at an AA meeting where he says he's been drunk most of his life.

VIOLENCE: A TV movie or episode shows girls grabbing another girl, with one punching the latter in the gut.
Bad falls asleep while driving. He wakes up, swerves, goes off the road, and his truck rolls once, leaving him unconscious and a little bloody (we later hear he has a concussion and broken ankle).
While mad at Bad for allowing Buddy to wander off in public, Jean whacks on Bad in a mall, and then at his place.

Reviewed January 25, 2010 / Posted January 29, 2010

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