Is “Crazy Heart” Just a Remake of “Hearts of Fire”?

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Were the filmmakers trying to give us a hint by including the word “heart” in the title of the new movie Crazy Heart, featuring Jeff Bridges as a washed-up country singer-songwriter who bears a remarkable resemblance to the washed-up rocker that Bob Dylan played in the film Hearts of Fire ?

I just came home from seeing Crazy Heart, and while I loved the movie, it now occurs to me that it really is just a remake of — although some might call it a great improvement upon — Dylan’s Hearts of Fire.

Mostly I’m surprised that in all the voluminous press that Crazy Heart has received, not once has anyone ever mentioned the film’s inspiration, or source, or resemblance, to the earlier movie.

It’s important to note that the music for Crazy Heart was for the most part written and produced by former Bob Dylan sideman/guitarist T-Bone Burnett. And that Jeff Bridges modeled his character after longtime Dylan compadre and fellow actor Kris Kristofferson.