I will always remember Easter 2010 as the Crazy Heart weekend. Aside from Avatar a few weeks ago, this is my favorite film in a long time. I knew before walking into the cinema that the film followed at country singer who had seen better days. Critics also raved about Jeff Bridges performance. Yes, his performance deserved an Oscar. But the most amazing person connected with the film is the first-time director Scott Cooper. Cooper was trained as an actor but never became a superstar. We are all better off for it because the man as a poetic sensibility that is put to better used as a writer and director. Every detail about the film is right.  Cooper refused to shoot in Canada to save costs because he knew that original scenes in the Southwest would please our eyes and fit much better to country music. When I reviewed Walk the Line, I confessed that I could not relate to the music because country was foreign to my ears.

But Cooper has managed to pick out of the country oeuvre melodies that work well for pop and rock ears.  All you aspiring filmmakers out there, go and watch this feast for the heart.

Some more background on how film was made and almost did not make it into the cinemas courtesy of the LA Times.

Can you download the script from Foxsearchlight.