Crazy Heart

KickinLibrarian@evpl — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:10:00 GMT

Jeff Bridges gives an Oscar-worthy performance in his latest, Crazy Heart, in which he plays Bad Blake, a musician who has seen better times. The movie begins with Bad's tour taking place in dive bars located in bowling alleys and small towns. It is during one of these trips that he comes across journalist, Jean, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. A single-mom, Jean is reluctant to get involved with Bad, but their casual fling develops into something more. Bad becomes attached to both Jean and her four-year-old son, and we discover that Bad has a grown son he never knew. Colin Farrell comes into the story as Tommy Sweet, Bad's former protégé, who is willing to give Bad another chance, but only if his ego will allow it. Between his growing relationship with Jean and opening for Tommy on tour, it seems Bad's life is turning around.

Then a fateful event occurs when Bad is drunk (as he often is throughout the movie), that causes him to lose everything he has recently gained. Enter his favorite bartender and friend, played by Robert Duvall, who helps Bad get back on track. With great performances by the entire cast and music by T-Bone Burnett, this movie is worth checking out. Definitely worth the hype it received during the Oscars.

"In Bruges"

MediaPhile@evpl — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:39:00 GMT

A couple of friends mentioned this flick, so when I saw a copy on the NEW shelf, I grabbed it. I had imagined some dense foreign flick, and wasn't prepared for this wacky British combination of comedy and drama.

Bruges, it turns out, is a town in Belgium that contains one of the most perfectly preserved medieval areas in Europe. So why aren't hitmen Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), fresh off a job, delighted to be there? Well, Ken is delighted, but he likes history and art. It is obvious that Ray is going through some sort of meltdown.

"In Bruges" is an intricate dance of a movie that even gets better when hardnosed family-man/mobster Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes) shows up. This is not the romantic Ralph Fiennes of "The English Patient" and "The Constant Gardener" but rather a comically flawed sociopath. His gesticulations and expressions are a wonder to behold, as is his foul-mouthed vocabulary.

Critics praised this movie -- it got an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. If you like the Coen Brothers you will enjoy "In Bruges." It is laugh out loud funny.

Movies Blog : colin farrell

Crazy Heart

"In Bruges"