Anthon Yelchin and Felicity Jones star in an unusal, honest romantic movie that deserves your attention.
Heres Simons review of Like Crazy…
American cinema tends to deal with romance in two different ways.
At first, you cant help but suspect thatLike Crazyis taking the former approach.
The pair are college students, both studying in America.
However, Anna is British, and on a temporary visa.
Its an interesting reversal of the usual story.
Ordinarily, a couple come together at the end of a film.
Here, Doremus brings his leading characters together at the start, and then forces them apart.
It feels, too, refreshingly real.
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What makes it worth investing time in is the quality of the key performances.
Felicity Jones, whose past credits include the likes ofCemetery JunctionandAlbatross, is excellent as Anna.
Anton Yelchin is equally strong, in arguably the more testing role.
In the supporting cast, incidentally, is a welcome role for a whiskey-chugging Alex Kingston.
WhereLike Crazyfalters just a little is in its consistency.
Thats no bad thing, but when the cast is so small, audience investment is vital.
And it will fluctuate.
And mark Drake Doremus as a director to watch.
It might not be on everybodys radar.
ButLike Crazyis the kind of small, interesting film that many argue never makes it to their local multiplex.
If this one does, do consider giving it a bit of support.
With thanks to Cineworld Broad Street in Birmingham.
Rating:
4 out of 5
