It’s early days yet. The film opens tomorrow limited and wider later, so obviously not everyone has spoken up yet. The only writer keeping the film away from a perfect score at Rotten Tomatoes with the handful of top critics who’ve chimed in so far is Kirk Honeycutt, who says:
An ex-star out of control and the self-destructive drunk is a cross between types with too many antecedents in other movies.
However, that somewhat thin criticism is debunked swiftly if you look a little further up the page at this quote from David Ansen:
Crazy Heart gets to you like a good country song — not because it tells you something new, but because it tells it well. It’s the singer, not the song.
Anyway, the point being, I expect this film to coast to a consistent “thumbs up” across the board. I say that because of the kind of critics it’s wooing. David Denby and Joe Morgenstern? I wouldn’t have expected their embrace. And I know Scott Foundas loved it. These are the hard-sell types, so the rest should hop on without much of a struggle.
Many of us may want to call the 10 films listed in the right sidebar there locked in for Best Picture, but Fox Searchlight has something to work with here. That’s all I’m saying. I’d switch Maggie’s campaign over to supporting, a very possible get (she was clearly considered for the NYFCC vote), and start banging the “they don’t make ’em like they used to” gong, but that’s just me.
Seriously, though. Films like this, these lurkers, that’s what you want to watch out for. There’s no way 10 films are locked in over a month away from the nominations announcement. Is there?
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37 responses to “‘Crazy Heart’ quietly looking like a critics’ fave”
Good. I think Gyllenhaal is a brilliant young actress.
“The only writer keeping the film away from a perfect score with the handful of top critics who’ve chimed in…”
I thought a perfect score was 100. I’m not seeing any reviews on metacritic rated higher than 83, and fully half of them are under 75.
I don’t think there’s any way those ten films are locks, I think at this point each has a problem that could knock it out other than Hurt Locker and Up in the Air.
Avatar: what if it flops?
An Education: $6 mil in two months? Who’s seen it? also can it really ride on one performance to a Best Picture slot?
Inglourious Basterds: looking fairly secure, but what if it’s too out there for the Academy?
Invictus: maybe they don’t feel like having another Frost/Nixon
Nine: seems way too much like Chicago
Precious: “backlash”?
A Serious Man: they just gave it to the Coens
Up: it’s animated.
Crazy Heart is definitely lurking, right with The Lovely Bones, and A Single Man.
Ryan: I was actually linking to Rotten Tomatoes, and the only “rotten” review of the top critics was Kirk’s.
By the way, unless there’s some page I’m missing, there are 2 out of 6 reviews on Metacritic under 75, so I wouldn’t say “fully half.”
Invictus will get in like it or not, simply because it is a biopic about Nelson Mandela. Remember the utterly lame Ghandi winning Best Picture in 1982? Frost/Nixon was a film about a failed politician not a “hero”. Also, the Academy likes BIG, meaning: Avatar and Nine are in because they are big Hollywood productions, even if they were awful movies they would still score a Best Pic nom. Benjamin Button, hello?
ah, ok, sorry. I never think about RT. Where there are no shades of gray. Just happy face and sad face.
;-)
“…2 out of 6 reviews on Metacritic under 75, so I wouldn’t say fully half.”
“fully half are 75 and under” would’ve been more precise, that’s true.
well, there you have it. You’re much better at splitting hairs to get the meaning you want than I am.
I’m not splitting hairs I’m just taking you at your words, Ryan. But yes, fully half of a tiny sampling are 75 and under, you are correct.
@Ryan Adams: Can you wait until the usual 32 reviews are scored? I don’t see the point of arguing now.
ok ok, no need for us to sword fight with our slide-rules.
And less that 17% of the reviews are higher than 80.
I’m more about verbal than math skills. We just have different yardsticks for calling something a “perfect score” that’s all.
excellent point, Andrew. Though I’m not the guy who started handing out blue ribbons today.
it seems to be nine is the most liekly to fall out of the 10
Ryan: I said I expect the film to coast to a thumbs up across the board (a “thumbs up” being the obvious “gray” rating of RT, not the nuance of MC), that it looked like something critics would favor, based on a small sampling of reviews (that was indicated as such: “It’s early days yet.”) and conversations with critics that haven’t reviewed yet. I didn’t make any declarations.
Does anyone know when it goes wide?
Kris…as of today, if we were looking at a normal field of five for Best Picture, instead of ten, which films beside Up In the Air, and The Hurt Locker do you think would make the cut??
Do you think Avatar would get in??
I stumbled on the words “perfect score” and never got a good handle on what you were trying to say after that, Kris.
But the nuances are very clear to me now, thanks.
Hard to imagine me saying that I “always” play nice, isn’t it? God knows I could never get away with claiming that.
Trust me though when I say this was all in the spirit of playful teasing.
Much love.
david: Hm, I guess I’d say Up in the Air, The Hurt Locker, Precious, Avatar and Nine, but it’s weird. I haven’t thought about it in those terms in so long I feel lost even considering the line-up.
By the way, re: wide release, I’m told the film will be at its widest on January 18.
I wouldn’t rule out The Messenger sliding in there.
I dunno, all the reviews I’m reading are saying the story is familiar and the reason to see this is for Bridges. I expect Crazy Heart to get nominations for Bridges and music and that’s it.
Kris…I’m planning on seeing Avatar soon…do you definitely suggest viewing it in 3D over 2D??
Also, when you screened it did you watch it on an IMAX screen?? It costs like $12 per person to see it on IMAX. Just wondering if that would be the best way to go. It’s confusing when you have so many viewing options, and money is tight.
Yes, definitely 3D.
I didn’t see it on IMAX. Missed that screening last night. But I would try to go with IMAX if you can swing it. I imagine it’s breathtaking (not that it already isn’t on a regular screen).
Can anyone believe that an IMAX ticket costs $17.50 at my local Montreal theatre?
It’s outrageous.
you must be in the Fox Searchlight camp
Ebert tweeted several days ago that Crazy Heart is this year’s The Wrestler, so take that for what it’s worth.
I hope that comparison goes beyond merely the passing resemblance the two films have to each other.
“The Wrestler” was my favourite movie last year. I would love if “Crazy Heart” moved me that much.
“Can anyone believe that an IMAX ticket costs $17.50 at my local Montreal theatre?”
Welcome to NYC: $18.50
And “Crazy Heart” isn’t anywhere near as great/powerful as “The Wrestler.” It’s a really finely etched, moving, small-scale character study that’s really well done, but it’s not going to devastate anyone or engender strong passion.
I don’t say that to dismiss it — I liked the film a whole lot — but it’s just not that kind of film.
I think Fox Searchlight sees more potential in (500) Days of Summer.
IMAX in Sydney costs $23 for a student… Welcome to my life.
But I think it is compensated by being one of the biggest screens in the world… Which can also cause problems if you don’t get one of the best seats.
Hey Kris, I noticed you said it would be at its widest on January 18th. Does the film’s official website have a link to the complete release schedule? I’ve been having trouble finding one.
No I talked to publicity to find out the date.
Got it. Thanks.
A lot of these reviews seem to be saying “great performance, ok movie.” Seems less like a critics fave (like the Wrestler) and more a movie that is lauded because of an astonishing performance (i.e. La vie en Rose).
Metacritic has updated the number of reviews counted and now the film has a 82% score [Universal Acclaim]. It’s higher than The Wrestler’s score, actually.
Oddly enough, Honeycutt’s review is now listed as “fresh” and with more favorable reviews being added to that mix, it’s now at 100% on the top critics.