I thought that there are things about Like Crazy to admire: two appealing leads, an intelligent and authentic story, a realistic beginning to the relationship, and a fine falling-in-love montage.
But my wife and her gal pals loathed it. Why? Primarily because they didn’t care about any of the characters. Of course that makes sense, because if you don’t relate to the characters, you’ll never buy into the story. The key to the story is an impulsive and stupid decision by the female lead that leads to the separation of the lovers; if you don’t care about the couple when this happens, then she’s just stupid.
The gals also pointed out that the extremely talented Jennifer Lawrence didn’t have much to do in this film other than get dumped twice by the same guy. On reflection, they have a good point there.
There are some good choices on the long holiday weekend. Like Crazy is a romance, pure and not so simple.
J. Edgar, Clint Eastwood’s interesting take on J. Edgar Hoover’s twisted psyche has some fine performances, but draaaaags. In contrast, Margin Call is a taut financial meltdown drama with superb performances by Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany and Stanley Tucci. Pedro Almodovar’s The Skin I Live In is a beautiful and disturbing thriller – Out There as only Almodovar can do. The Ides of March is a fine political drama with Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and George Clooney. Drive is a stylishly arty and ultraviolent action film, also with Ryan Gosling.
On the lighter side, 50/50 is an engaging cancer comedy with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. The raunchy comedy A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is filled with lots of jokes and hilarious cameos by Neil Patrick Harris and Danny Trejo.
PBS is featuring the top rate British spy drama Page Eight on this week’s Masterpiece Contemporary.
If you can still find it, don’t miss Take Shelter, Jeff Nichols’ brilliant tale of a psychotic breakdown with Oscar-worthy performances by Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. One of the Best Movies of 2011 – So Far.
I haven’t yet seenthe The Descendants or Into the Abyss, which open soon. You can see trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.
Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones being romantic in the romance LIKE CRAZY
As we go deeper into autumn, we’re getting quite the menu of movie choices. Like Crazy is a romance, pure and not so simple.
PBS is featuring the top rate British spy drama Page Eight on this week’s Masterpiece Contemporary.
J. Edgar, Clint Eastwood’s interesting take on J. Edgar Hoover’s twisted psyche has some fine performances, but draaaaags. In contrast, Margin Call is a taut financial meltdown drama with superb performances by Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany and Stanley Tucci. Pedro Almodovar’s The Skin I Live In is a beautiful and disturbing thriller – Out There as only Almodovar can do. The Ides of March is a fine political drama with Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and George Clooney. Drive is a stylishly arty and ultraviolent action film, also with Ryan Gosling.
On the lighter side, 50/50 is an engaging cancer comedy with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. The raunchy comedy A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is filled with lots of jokes and hilarious cameos by Neil Patrick Harris and Danny Trejo.
If you can still find it, don’t miss Take Shelter, Jeff Nichols’ brilliant tale of a psychotic breakdown with Oscar-worthy performances by Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. One of the Best Movies of 2011 – So Far.
I haven’t yet seenthe psychological thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene. You can see trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.
My DVD of the Week is the wonderfully sweet Beginners, with Ewan MacGregor and Christopher Plummer. Other recent DVD picks have been Incendies (the year’s best movie so far), Errol Morris’ gutbustingly funny documentary Tabloid, the Jenna Fischer dramedy A Little Help , the heartwarming documentary Buck, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy (1979).
If you’re looking for a pure romance, this long distance love story is unadulterated by the irony and gross-out humor so prevalent today. The girl and guy don’t meet cute. She has a crush and acts on it; he falls for her. They are separated by her unwise impulse to overstay her student visa. Now the romance is complicated – as real life relationships are. The ending is not contrived, and provokes questions about the pair’s future.
In tracing the initial falling-love-love, writer-director Drake Doremus rescues the film technique of montage from the schmaltzy chiches produced by lazier filmmakers.
The stars, Felicity Jones and AntonYelchin, are appealing, and I look forward to seeing them again. As expected, Jennifer Lawrence is very good in a supporting role.
This was a big hit with the audience at Sundance, and I expected that it might became a huge word-of-mouth hit. It won’t be that successful because, ultimately, it’s a good but not great movie. Still, it brings some much needed intelligence and authenticity to the genre.
It’s time for the really promising movies of November and December. On November 11, we’ll see J. Edgar,Clint Eastwood’s biopic of J. Edgar Hoover starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. Armie Hammer, so good as the Winklevoss twins in A Social Network, plays Hoover’s (ahem) close friend Clyde Tolson.
The new version of John LeCarre’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy opens on November 18. Gary Oldman leads an impressive cast.
But first, if you’re looking for a pure romance, there’s Like Crazy. This long distance love story seems to be unadulterated by the irony and gross-out humor so prevalent. Just good looking people and a weepy soundtrack. Got good filmfest buzz at both Sundance and Toronto. Opens October 28 in a limited release and more widely in November. Here’s the trailer.
