Like Crazy
Cast & Credits
Directed by Drake Doremus; written by Doremus and Ben York Jones; with Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley, Oliver Muirhead and Alex Kington. Rated PG-13 for content and strong language. Running time: 90 minutes.
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Anton Yelchin who first hit screens as Anthony Hopkins’ mentee in the cinematic adaptation of Stephen King’s Hearts in Atlantis, breaks through in this story of young love. Though some may argue Felicity Jones is the film’s true heart. What helps Like Crazy stand out from the crowd is its true-to-life portrayal of what happens when the honeymoon’s over and real life settles in.
Guy meets girl, gets over social awkwardness and spend a blissful summer of love. Now what? She’s British, he’s American and her visa’s run out so she does what any young person in love would do given the chance: she overstays. Damn the repercussions, but the action has a more than equal reaction when she can’t re-enter the US. The couple try for a long-distance relationship but inevitably things fall apart (the time lag, traveling from one country to another, mostly falling on Yelchin’s shoulders). They take up with other people although each is never quite far from one another’s minds and do find their way back to one another, though not without its own share of problems.
This is a no-nonsense, quaint, poignant film about first love and heartbreak and though not as lighthearted as indies like (500) Days of Summer have been, has its feet grounded firmly in reality which brings its own charm. The film has been lauded both for its performances and direction although Doremus may have had little to do with a mostly improvised script by its two young stars. Viewers will find themselves taking a trip down memory lane to their own first loves which, given the subject matter and nuanced performances, isn’t hard to do.
