Cast: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell.

JEFF Bridges' Academy Award was well earnt in this gently crafted drama about a washed-up country singer.

The veteran actor's turn as Bad Blake, a 57-year-old singer-songwriter, is one of the best of his career as he gives the role both the compassion of a doting grandfather and the harsh reality of a hangover.

Crazy Heart follows Bad Blake through his life on the road, which consists of low-paying gigs in southern bowling alleys with pick-up bands, rolling out the hits in between finding solace in a bottle or the bed of an equally ageing fan.

Along the way there's Jean (Gyllenhaal), a single mother journalist who falls for Bad's rough ways, and Tommy Sweet (Farrell), Bad's one time protege and band member who has made it big on his own.

These relationships form the backbone of Crazy Heart, which is thankful because plotwise it's fairly slight and does tend to tick all the boxes of the down-on-his-luck musician biopic.

Bridges' acting is not only top-notch, but his singing and playing are the real deal, and he successfully brings to life a soundtrack of excellent outlaw country numbers mostly written by T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham and Stephen Bruton.

Bad Blake is a perfect example of note-perfect casting - perhaps the only other person who could have played him is Kris Kristofferson, who Bridges not only sounds but looks like.

Crazy Heart is reminscent of that other piece of perfect casting - The Wrestler - tapping in to similar themes and relying on one complex, flawed, and run-down, but utterly compelling character to carry the film, making it a study of them rather than a normal narrative.

The real surprise packet is Irishman Farrell, who not only pulls off a hugely convincing Southern accent but also holds his own on vocals and guitar (yep, that's really the actors singin', folks).

But even if Farrell doesn't sell you, at least check this out for a stellar turn from Bridges and a fine swag of country tunes.