Movie review: ‘Crazy,’ stupid lovers
November 13, 2011 by admin
Filed under Lingerie Events
Opinion
Hollywood romances constantly encourage us to follow our hearts, no matter where they may lead. There’s no obstacle that can’t be overcome by allowing our passion to guide us to a life of eternal love and bliss.
These romances know nothing of the patience, hard work and sacrifice relationships require. They don’t give answers about what to do when conversations turn awkward, hearts turn cold and life intrudes, because these things don’t happen in the movies.
“Like Crazy” is refreshing in the way it splashes cold water on our romantic notions. Both a celebration of, and warning about, impetuous young love, it’s a bittersweet and raw look at the relationship of two flawed people in love with the idea of love, and too stubborn to let go of their selfish whims and plans.
Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and Anna (Felicity Jones) are wonderful as two students who meet in college and almost immediately fall in love. Anna is a writer on a student visa from Britain, and Jacob designs and builds furniture from his Santa Monica home. Anna is the first to make a move, leaving a note on Jacob’s windshield professing her infatuation with the reassurance that she’s “not a nutcase.” Smitten, Jacob takes her out for dinner and they’re inseparable afterward.
The early scenes are typical romantic fodder – dancing on the beach, pillow fighting, goofing around in the street – given immediacy by director Drake Doremus’ decision to shoot things with a handheld camera instead of applying a slick studio gloss. Jacob and Anna are so cute together that it could come across as saccharine were it not for Yelchin’s and Jones’ strong chemistry and the film’s improvisational tone – it feels like we’re watching a real, budding romance.
So in love is the couple that Anna decides to stay past her visa’s expiration to enjoy one last summer with Jacob. When she attempts to return to L.A. after some time at home, she finds herself detained. This starts a process of waiting, breaking up, getting back together and pining for each other that lasts four years.
Movies have dealt with long-distance romances before, but few have so honestly tackled the stubbornness, stupidity and selfishness inherent in young love. Yes, Anna is careless to let her visa expire and Jacob stubbornly refuses to move to Britain to be with the woman he’s supposed to be so desperately in love with – even though his job as a chair designer can be done anywhere in the world. And yes, the two pursue relationships without the other’s knowledge and sometimes feel the spark of initial romance begin to fade. But they inevitably feel the pull toward each other and the happiness of being together, and try to keep the relationship alive, either out of true love or a desperate attempt to cling to their initial passion. It’s a reminder that when we’re in love -particularly the rush of first love – we act careless and reckless because we’re driven by passion. There are moments in “Like Crazy” – particularly its early moments – where Jacob and Anna’s story will remind audiences of their own particular loves; there are others – especially later in the film, when the distance is taking its toll – where I wanted to scream at the characters.
And yet, that’s part of what makes “Like Crazy” work so well. It’s not a sugar-coated romance or a fairy tale. It’s about the consequences of following your heart and realizing your life doesn’t automatically come along.
Yelchin, best known for his work in “Star Trek,” captures the sincere stupidity of a man falling in love. He’s afraid of commitment and unsure he wants to give up everything to be with Anna, particularly when he’s away from her and enticed by a coworker (Jennifer Lawrence). But when he’s with Anna, he’s happy and goofy; Yelchin makes Jacob romantic and sincere, but selfish and stubborn when his plans are challenged, yet the character never comes across as unlikeable. He’s sympathetic. Anna is perhaps more enraptured than Jacob, and Jones portrays here a girl who quickly falls into young love and fights to hold onto it, but isn’t above seeking out affection from her neighbor (Charlie Bewley) when she’s lonely. Yelchin and Jones have a wonderful rapport and chemistry, and organically portray a relationship that showcases passion, joy, jealously, spite and complacency – sometimes within the same scene.
Doremus may be too fond of montages and probably could have lengthened the film to better portray the passage of time. Since Jones and Yelchin appear perpetually the same age and the film sometimes jarringly transitions between scenes, it doesn’t always feel like years are passing. But the director’s decision to shoot the film documentary style lends it an immediacy that most romances lack. Doremus never over-sentimentalizes the story and the emotions feel earned, not manipulated. Continued…
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The film is raw and the final passages will likely anger audiences hoping for a typical Hollywood romance, but it’s a realistic ending and not necessarily one devoid of hope. For those looking for a frothy love story, “Like Crazy” may not be the best option. But it’s a refreshingly realistic look at relationships, anchored by two performances from actors I get a feeling we’ll be seeing quite a bit of in the future.
Chris Williams is a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society. He blogs about film at http://chrisicisms.wordpress.com
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Hollywood romances constantly encourage us to follow our hearts, no matter where they may lead. There’s no obstacle that can’t be overcome by allowing our passion to guide us to a life of eternal love and bliss.
These romances know nothing of the patience, hard work and sacrifice relationships require. They don’t give answers about what to do when conversations turn awkward, hearts turn cold and life intrudes, because these things don’t happen in the movies.
“Like Crazy” is refreshing in the way it splashes cold water on our romantic notions. Both a celebration of, and warning about, impetuous young love, it’s a bittersweet and raw look at the relationship of two flawed people in love with the idea of love, and too stubborn to let go of their selfish whims and plans.
Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and Anna (Felicity Jones) are wonderful as two students who meet in college and almost immediately fall in love. Anna is a writer on a student visa from Britain, and Jacob designs and builds furniture from his Santa Monica home. Anna is the first to make a move, leaving a note on Jacob’s windshield professing her infatuation with the reassurance that she’s “not a nutcase.” Smitten, Jacob takes her out for dinner and they’re inseparable afterward.
The early scenes are typical romantic fodder – dancing on the beach, pillow fighting, goofing around in the street – given immediacy by director Drake Doremus’ decision to shoot things with a handheld camera instead of applying a slick studio gloss. Jacob and Anna are so cute together that it could come across as saccharine were it not for Yelchin’s and Jones’ strong chemistry and the film’s improvisational tone – it feels like we’re watching a real, budding romance.
So in love is the couple that Anna decides to stay past her visa’s expiration to enjoy one last summer with Jacob. When she attempts to return to L.A. after some time at home, she finds herself detained. This starts a process of waiting, breaking up, getting back together and pining for each other that lasts four years.
Movies have dealt with long-distance romances before, but few have so honestly tackled the stubbornness, stupidity and selfishness inherent in young love. Yes, Anna is careless to let her visa expire and Jacob stubbornly refuses to move to Britain to be with the woman he’s supposed to be so desperately in love with – even though his job as a chair designer can be done anywhere in the world. And yes, the two pursue relationships without the other’s knowledge and sometimes feel the spark of initial romance begin to fade. But they inevitably feel the pull toward each other and the happiness of being together, and try to keep the relationship alive, either out of true love or a desperate attempt to cling to their initial passion. It’s a reminder that when we’re in love -particularly the rush of first love – we act careless and reckless because we’re driven by passion. There are moments in “Like Crazy” – particularly its early moments – where Jacob and Anna’s story will remind audiences of their own particular loves; there are others – especially later in the film, when the distance is taking its toll – where I wanted to scream at the characters.
And yet, that’s part of what makes “Like Crazy” work so well. It’s not a sugar-coated romance or a fairy tale. It’s about the consequences of following your heart and realizing your life doesn’t automatically come along.
Yelchin, best known for his work in “Star Trek,” captures the sincere stupidity of a man falling in love. He’s afraid of commitment and unsure he wants to give up everything to be with Anna, particularly when he’s away from her and enticed by a coworker (Jennifer Lawrence). But when he’s with Anna, he’s happy and goofy; Yelchin makes Jacob romantic and sincere, but selfish and stubborn when his plans are challenged, yet the character never comes across as unlikeable. He’s sympathetic. Anna is perhaps more enraptured than Jacob, and Jones portrays here a girl who quickly falls into young love and fights to hold onto it, but isn’t above seeking out affection from her neighbor (Charlie Bewley) when she’s lonely. Yelchin and Jones have a wonderful rapport and chemistry, and organically portray a relationship that showcases passion, joy, jealously, spite and complacency – sometimes within the same scene.
Doremus may be too fond of montages and probably could have lengthened the film to better portray the passage of time. Since Jones and Yelchin appear perpetually the same age and the film sometimes jarringly transitions between scenes, it doesn’t always feel like years are passing. But the director’s decision to shoot the film documentary style lends it an immediacy that most romances lack. Doremus never over-sentimentalizes the story and the emotions feel earned, not manipulated.
The film is raw and the final passages will likely anger audiences hoping for a typical Hollywood romance, but it’s a realistic ending and not necessarily one devoid of hope. For those looking for a frothy love story, “Like Crazy” may not be the best option. But it’s a refreshingly realistic look at relationships, anchored by two performances from actors I get a feeling we’ll be seeing quite a bit of in the future.
Chris Williams is a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society. He blogs about film at http://chrisicisms.wordpress.com
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