I went to a screening of “Crazy Heart” where the producers (including Bobby Duvall!) did a Q&A afterwards. IIRC they said that the original book that the movie was based on ended with Bad Blake relapsing, but when they wrote the script they knew they needed a more uplifting ending. They went ahead and shot the scene of him lying in a ditch all fucked up, and included it in the rough cut, but as soon as they saw it they all knew it was unnecessary – that it was one beat too many of him being a fuckin’ drunk, you already get it, let’s move on with the story. The right call, in my opinion.

This is not a very showy performance, unless you count the musical scenes. There isn’t much in the way of big emoting, unless you count hurling into a garbage can or toilet. Even when Maggie leaves him or his son doesn’t want to talk to him, he doesn’t overplay it.

It’s really what I would consider a perfectly modulated acting performance, very sharply observed and full of great details, like walking around his fly undone. Bad Blake just feels like a real guy.

I can’t decide which character was worse from that movie, the Maggie G. one or Allison Janney, who was so coarse and loud and stupid and irritating. I know we weren’t supposed to be sympathetic toward the character, but again, the writing just felt cheap and easy while attempting to present itself as profound. I felt like the writers were wagging their fingers in my face the whole time.