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At first glance, "Crazy Heart" appears to be a retread of the quiet 1983 critics' favorite "Tender Mercies." Both movies follow the life of a washed-up country star and feature Robert Duvall. But in "Tender Mercies," Duvall's Mac Sledge has stepped away from the limelight. The progaonist of "Crazy Heart," Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges, "The Big Lebowski") plays for whatever audience will listen to him because music is the only life he knows. In that respect, the film is more like "The Wrestler." And just like "The Wrestler," "Crazy Heart" is a perfect showcase for one of Hollywood's most overlooked actors.

Fox Searchlight thought highly enough of Bridges' performance that they moved up the release date so that he would be eligible for the 2009 awards season. The decision paid off, as the actor has been nominated for a Golden Globe, and mostly likely, an Oscar. And the movie is about more than Bridges; it's about finding a new path after the familiar one comes to an end.

Several years after his peak, Bad Blake is still on the road, trucking across the Southwest in a beat-up Suburban. The arenas and roadhouses have been replaced by hole-in-the-wall honkytonks and bowling alleys. In Santa Fe, he falls for Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Secretary"), a young reporter. It's clear she is enamored by the sixtyish songwriter, and that Blake sees her as a conquest. Soon, though, they grow close, especially as Bad bonds with Jean's 4-year-old son Buddy. But the bottle is hard to kick, and Bad predictably hits rock bottom. The only way to save himself is to venture back home to Houston and reconnect with his old pal Wayne (Duvall).

The trick with any music movie -- or sports movie, or any industry-specific movie -- is to get the details right. For Bad Blake's catalogue, producer-director Scott Cooper turned to T-Bone Burnett, the driving force behind the massively successful "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. Burnett not only brings hummable tunes, but also puts together a collection of songs that could easily be part of a Waylon Jennings or Johnny Paycheck greatest hits album. "Fallin' & Flyin'" Bad's signature smash, is right in step with the outlaw country music of the 1970s.

The music is great, but the movie hinges on Bridges' performance. He drinks and throws up, and drinks some more. It's physically taxing, and the actor doesn't just hide behind Bad's swagger and unkempt beard. Instead, he digs in deep and becomes the character. The way he chews his steak and the way he lugs around his guitar are the kind of details that earn awards.

The May-December connection between Bad and Jean might be hard to go along with if someone other than Gyllenhaal was sharing the screen with Bridges. Jean isn't just a starstruck reporter; she's a real woman who has lived a real life. Love is nice, but raising her son is the main priority. Gyllenhaal has a way of balancing tenderness and intensity, which is exactly what the role requires. She should be gaining nearly as much awards buzz as Bridges.

In one of the strangest bits of casting in recent memory, Colin Farrell plays the Kenny Chesney-esque heartthrob Tommy Sweet. With his ponytail and silver earrings, he looks ridiculous, yet somehow, fits the part. Even when singing, Farrell doesn't try too hard. He opts for a slight draw rather than a phony twang.

The relationship between the two old friends is the best part. Tommy loves Bad, both for his songwriting and the doors he opened when Tommy was in his band. Tommy's appreciation comes through in the way he invites Bad to open a big show and write songs for a new album. Bad grudgingly accepts the offers, convinced he is still a star. Most important, they come off as kindred spirits, not a pair of actors from different generations.

The film is a bit slow at times, like most character studies, and the story has been told before. But "Crazy Heart" is worth seeing because Bridges and Gyllenhaal turn melodrama into a thoughtful statement on love, aging and making the right decisions.

crazy heart

Rated R. 111 minutes.

Drama.

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Tom Bower, Jack Nation, Rick Dial, Paul Herman, James Keane.

Director: Scott Cooper.