Strikes & Gutters: "Crazy Heart" movie review

Every year there is a movie where a performance transcends the plot. "Crazy Heart" reminds me of "There Will Be Blood." It didn't matter to me what the beginning, middle, and end was. All I was concerned with was not taking my eyes off of Daniel Day Lewis. It's the same here with Bridges as Bad Blake, a broken down alcoholic country music songwriter, who finds inspiration to turn his life around after falling for a single mother who interviews him for a Sante Fe newspaper. On the surface this seems to be a must see for only a handful of people, namely fans of Bridges and real country music fans of Hank and Cash. Boil it down and this movie is about relationships. I think that is something everyone can find a connection to.

• Look for the not so subtle Lebowski references in the opening 30 minutes. Bad's first gig is in a bowling alley and ends up fishing his sunglasses out of a circular receptacle.