March 8: Like Crazy

"A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa."

   Like Crazy is the perfect example of where a film itself just doesn't deliver as much as the trailer would lead you to believe. I thought the trailer was one of the best of last year and was very much looking forward to watching the full product, and I wish I could say I thoroughly enjoyed it. From the beginning, Like Crazy suffers from poor pacing and an over-the-top melodramatic score, almost immediately shattering any hope you have for the two lovers at the center of the film. It has almost a funeral-esque piano theme (although I'm a sucker for good piano) that plays throughout, and you think that their love is dead right off the bat, and not blossoming like a young new romance. 

All that's missing is a black wardrobe and a rendition of "Amazing Grace"

   The two leads in Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones are great in their roles and the chemistry between the two feels genuine. However, the biggest complaint of Like Crazy is the pacing. There is absolutely nothing to use as a reference to tell how much time passes and the heights their relationship reach are questionable, because you can't tell how long they've been together. You want to cheer for them and hope for a reunion, but it's really hard to tell how invested in each other they are. You can't tell if they're truly, madly in love or just stupid. It's a shame because the two really work well together and you want to believe, but it's just too hard. 

Other stars of the film- Yelchin's forehead and ever changing pubic facial hair

   Overall, Like Crazy is decent, at best. The film has a different take on the generic love story as well as great acting, but the pacing and dialogue are weak. Part of the dialogue's weakness is that there was no complete script during filming and the lead actor's were left to improvise much of the film. Because of that, the dialogue is too "real", and the gaps in their speech and their mumbling come across as sloppier than more genuine. I don't think I would recommend Like Crazy, but if a significant other wants to watch it, it would not be as bad as half the romantic movies out there today. 

The Good:

terrific acting by two of Hollywood's hopeful young actors

The Bad:

pacing and the absolute lack of telling how much time passes

The Ugly:

the love story is too real and because of that, slightly unbearable

Overall: 6.0/10

Best Quote:

Anna: "I thought I understood it, that I could grasp it, but I didn't, not really. Only the smudgeness of it; the pink-slippered, all-containered, semi-precious eagerness of it. I didn't realize it would sometimes be more than whole, that the wholeness was a rather luxurious idea. Because it's the halves that halve you in half. I didn't know, don't know, about the in-between bits; the gory bits of you, and the gory bits of me."

Watch This Instead:

Before Sunrise & Before Sunset- hands down, the greatest romantic movies of all time

Garden State- Natalie Portman 

Two Days in Paris- good romance with (dun dun dun) comedy, and not depressing music