1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Made its money back 6.8× over at the box office.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Crazy Heart
"The harder the life, the sweeter the song."
2009 1h 52m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 1,234
DramaMusicRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
When reporter Jean Craddock interviews Bad Blake—an alcoholic, seen-better-days country music legend—they connect, and the hard-living crooner sees a possible saving grace in a life with Jean and her young son.
“The harder the life, the sweeter the song.”
Cast
Jeff Bridges
Bad Blake
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Jean Craddock
Robert Duvall
Wayne
Colin Farrell
Tommy Sweet
Tom Bower
Bill Wilson
Paul Herman
Jack Greene
Beth Grant
Jo Ann
J. Michael Oliva
Bear
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Scott Cooper
- Writers
- Scott Cooper
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 17 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Spanish.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Scott Cooper, shot by Barry Markowitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Stephen Bruton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor John Axelrad shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal and Robert Duvall carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "The harder the life, the sweeter the song.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Scott Cooper directs. Barry Markowitz behind the camera. Stephen Bruton scores. John Axelrad cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Spanish.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Made its money back 6.8× over at the box office.
- 2Released 17 years ago.
- 3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Spanish.
- 4Directed by Scott Cooper, shot by Barry Markowitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Stephen Bruton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor John Axelrad shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal and Robert Duvall carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "The harder the life, the sweeter the song.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt1263670 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 28 themes, including "journalist", "taxi", "country music", "guitar".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Barry Markowitz
- Original score
- Stephen Bruton
- Editing
- John Axelrad
- Production design
- Waldemar Kalinowski
- Costume design
- Doug Hall
- Makeup / hair
- Geordie Sheffer
- Stunt coordinator
- Al Goto
- Runtime
- 112 min · 1h 52m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $7,000,000
- Box office
- $47,405,566
- Return
- 677% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Awards
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
- Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
- Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actor
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
- Academy Award for Best Actor
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Scott Cooper
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- IN
Informant Media
- BU
Butcher's Run Films
US
Key crew
- ProducerScott Cooper
- Stunt CoordinatorAl Goto
- Utility StuntsEd Duran
- Costume DesignDoug Hall
- ProducerRobert Duvall
- CastingLindsay Graham Ahanonu
- Art DirectionBen Zeller
- CastingMary Vernieu
- EditorJohn Axelrad
- ProducerRob Carliner
- Production DesignWaldemar Kalinowski
- ProducerT Bone Burnett
- EditorJeffrey Ford
- ProducerJudy Cairo
- NovelThomas Cobb
- Set DecorationCarla Curry
- HairstylistGeordie Sheffer
- Makeup ArtistSheila Trujillo
- HairstylistJennifer Santiago
- Makeup Department HeadTarra D. Day
- Script SupervisorJoanna Kennedy
- Second Assistant DirectorChemen A. Ochoa
- Line ProducerAlton Walpole
- Associate ProducerGina Scheerer
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- journalist
- taxi
- country music
- guitar
- musician
- alcoholism
- singer
- memory
- texan
- alcoholic
- drink
- guilt
- hopeless
- biscuit
- ironic
- complex
- cautionary
- introspective
- inspirational
- egotistical
- hilarious
- adoring
- ambiguous
- audacious
- complicated
- condescending
- gloomy
- hopeful
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2009-12-06· Santa Fe Film Festival
- Theatrical (limited)2009-12-16R
- Theatrical2010-02-05
Also known as
International titles
- Loco corazónAR
- 我心狂野HK
