The power of love
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Like Crazy (12A, 90 mins)
Romance/Drama. Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Oliver
Muirhead, Alex Kingston, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley.
Director: Drake Doremus.
Love in its many wondrous forms is an essential component of the
human experience.
As children, we love fearlessly and wholeheartedly, naive to the
pain and disappointment that comes with age.
Every crush on a classmate, every nervous declaration is
thrilling; every rejection crushes our self-confidence as if it
were the end of the world.
First love scars us for the rest of our lives but time and
again, we dust ourselves off.
Falling in love is just as frighteningly easy as falling out
again in Drake Doremus's low-budget romance.
Following a 50-page outline, lead stars Anton Yelchin and
Felicity Jones explored every emotional nook and cranny of their
transatlantic lovers, improvising the painful truths that sometimes
lurk in silences.
This collaborative process between film-maker and cast reaps
considerable rewards.
Like Crazy is a beautifully naturalistic portrait of an affair
that will strike a chord with anyone who has taken that leap of
faith and risked their heart.
Doremus's camera snuggles in bed with the characters and
provides us with a piercing insight to their feelings as
expectation turns to joy, or nervous anticipation becomes crushing
despair.
British exchange student Anna (Felicity Jones) falls head over
heels in love with talented design student Jacob (Anton Yelchin)
during her time in Los Angeles.
She exceeds the length of her student visa to fan the flames of
romance but after Anna returns home to her parents (Oliver
Muirhead, Alex Kingston), US immigration subsequently refuses her
re-entry, forcing the young couple to conduct their relationship
from different continents.
Jacob flies to the UK as often as he can but the romance feels
the strain of separation so Anna's parents hire a lawyer to argue
her case.
"If you two got married, you'd save me a lot of money," jokes
Anna's father.
The seed of an idea is planted and the lovers eventually agree,
"We should get married", tying the knot at a town hall.
However, the distance between the couple takes its toll and
Jacob finds comfort in the arms of Sam (Jennifer Lawrence), while
Anna starts a relationship with Simon (Charlie Bewley).
Perhaps their love was not meant to be after all.
Like Crazy is anchored by mesmerising performances from Jones
and Yelchin, who lay themselves bare as their characters are
dragged through the emotional mire.
On-screen chemistry sizzles - we believe completely in their
attraction - and there are some lovely verbal exchanges and scenes
of intimacy.
A couple of moments in Doremus's film feel contrived, including
the symbolic breaking of a piece of jewellery.
However, realism ultimately wins out, including a wedding
proposal that leaves us feeling almost as awkward as the ungrateful
recipient.
:: Swearing :: Sex :: No violence :: Rating: 7.5/10
Wednesday, January 25 2012
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