Crazy Heart

Empire“Jeff. Bridges. Is. An. Acting. God...” The film would fail without the soul of the songs. A phenomenal, heart-breaking performance from Jeff Bridges powers this simple but affecting redemption story...

The Times“Bridges' acting is so authentic, so raw and revealing...” The familiarity of the self-destructive performer could have survived had the story line been more inventive, but it’s too safe and predictable. What saves the film is Bridges’ performance...

The Independent“It's hard to dislike...” The weary grace of Bad's songwriting sounds like something drawn from a hard place – "Life, unfortunately," he admits – and one only wishes that Crazy Heart had been prepared to back it up with some drama...

Little White Lies“More floating island than ‘Islands in the Stream’...” Debut writer/director Scott Cooper clearly has potential, but he has trusted too much in his star alone without giving him a backing band, decent lyrics or a real passage to redemption...

Guardian“An inner core of integrity...” Blake is a character familiar to the audience and the actor, and Bridges plays him with an unerring accuracy and an unsentimental understanding...

Channel4 Film“The film itself doesn't quite match up to Bridges' performance...” An affable, entertaining film that rarely surprises but brings a smile to the face through the sheer charisma of its leading man. Bridges is far and away the most convincing reason to see Crazy Heart...

The Telegraph“No Jeff Bridges fan can afford to miss Crazy Heart...” Cooper’s film may not make all the right choices, but it’s got Bridges, and it’s always got the songs, among which The Weary Kind stands out for its haunting, choked melancholy. It’s an experience you want to indulge, and that isn’t hard...

Variety“All others are mere planets revolving around Bridges' sun...” The New Mexico-shot feature looks fine, and real-life concert settings bring a convincing feel to the performance scenes, as do the solid vocals by Bridges and Farrell....

Total Film “Affection for its star goes a long way...” Crazy Heart is a B-grade movie elevated to A-grade status by Bridges’ nuanced, heartbreaking performance. Gyllenhaal is terrific too as a smart woman who can’t help loving that man...

Time Out film“This is great American acting...” “Bad” Blake, much like Bridges’s immortal Dude, is belly-acting: gutsy and, well, big-gutted. So if this better-than-average country-singer tale does the trick come Oscar time, here’s someone who won’t complain...