Friday, November 11, 2011

like crazy

Now that's chemistry: Anton Yelchin & Felicity Jones in LIKE CRAZY
On the heels of last night's at-home movie fail I trotted myself downtown for a make-up matinee, and the timing worked out perfectly for Drake Doremus's Homeland Security-Interruptus Love Story, "Like Crazy."

The movie is a boy-meets-girl sort of a deal with a post-911 swerve and a terrifically innovative narrative arc. I won't spoil the ending, but the film left me feeling hungry and satisfied at the same time, which is really my favorite way to feel after two hours in the dark with strangers. Really.

As a student of Happily-Ever-After, both in my work and in life, this story offered an authentic glimpse at a seldom-studied aspect of that oft-wielded cliche: the soul mate. Framed in modern times but sprinkled with age-old romance stuff: male ego, quest for self, individuation versus taking one for the team, etc, the movie delivered a unique and quietly uncomfortable snapshot of the many layers involved in living in today's multi-faceted world. Plus, Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones are well-cast and adorable as the young lovers fraught with pond-hopping troubles.

The masses can have the Hollywood blockbusters, but for my $8.50, I'll take art.

5 comments:

  1. Must see.

    I love the way you review movies.

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  2. i just saw an ad for this today and thought, "am i going to like this or is it another anne-hathaway-and-that-guy-from-the-beatles-movie flick?"

    it's now in my queue (which has nothing to do with netflix, but a list i keep in my head for movies worth sneaking out in the middle of the day to see when everyone else is either working or in school).

    i've been absent too long. the frog is a beautiful totem creature. congrats on the latest EC rewrites. thanks for the soccer pics. and i thought The Tourist wasn't that awful. on a scale of loved it so much i'd watch it again right away and i fell asleep before the anything happened, i managed to stay awake until the end.
    of course, i like looking at depp.

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  3. Thanks Lisa and AmyG!

    I am quite an opinionated movie-goer... one of those hate it or love it without much in between.

    This movie still lingers in my brain matter--like the slow wearing off of a drug. There were just so many smart details, and the acting was so fresh and real.

    Thanks for the encouraging words re: EC. Really fun to dive back into the fairytale--the whole 19th century royal playground --much preferred to the waiting around to hear what the pub world thinks of it.

    What I need to do now is plunge back into my dark family drama novel. Are you guys planning on going to AWP?

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  4. i am.

    i'm not sure if i'll be able to make it for the whole thing. i may do one day and then spend another hanging out in chicago.

    you?

    still deciding?

    i think there's a few of us who are going to be in chicago that week.

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