Crazy Heart and The Wrestler

"Crazy Heart" is this year's "The Wrestler". Same story for the most part with different endings, "The Wrestler" was harsh, "Crazy Heart" is saccharine. Mickey Rourke did not win the best actor Academy Award but there were many who passionately believed that he was the most exceptional choice by far. Jeff Bridges' performance is on the same outsized path but not as visceral, not as risky, as that of Rourke. If he wins the best actor Oscar it will be a mea culpa by the insiders for not choosing Rourke, whose once in a lifetime gut wrenching performance, as seen by some, cannot be duplicated.