693. Like Crazy (2011)

Starring: Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence

Director: Drake Doremus

Running Time: 90 mins

Like Crazy is an American film about a young British woman who is forbidden from seeing her long-term American boyfriend after overstaying her visa the previous time they were together, and the tough life they must endure apart.

Now, there are many different sides to this film, some good, some bad. The main thing about it, though, is that the story is very cheesy and very slow-paced, yet somehow genuinely engaging and interesting to follow. However, I had a huge problem with some of the characters, and that made it a much more frustrating film to watch than it should have been.

One of the most impressive things about this film is that it seems so normal despite its incredibly small budget. Made on only $250,000, this film surprisingly doesn’t have all the hallmarks of a low-budget indie film, but feels exactly like any quirky Hollywood drama romance that you’d expect to see.

Also, the story also feels very real. It’s all based around the incredibly deep and tender love story of these two young people, and all of the performances are strong, the plot doesn’t go to idiotically romantic places, it stays very firmly on the ground, and is largely very believable.

And even though the story still feels a little bit cheesy in some places, and it moves along at an absolute snail’s pace, then occasionally jumps 6 months or so (which does make it a bit of a jerky watch), it’s still intriguing to follow.

However, I wouldn’t say that this film was enjoyable, largely for one simple reason. The story follows the love of Jacob and Anna, and while I found Jacob somewhat likeable, I was incredibly frustrated by the fact that Anna was an idiot.

The whole plot revolves around the fact that she can’t get into the USA because she overstayed her visa before for no decent reason, while when she’s informed of this, she seems deeply shocked and saddened. Meanwhile, as the film goes on, she becomes hugely dislikeable due to her character’s idiotic values and opinions on her relationship.

Anyway, this gets a 7.0 overall, because despite the idiocy of one main character, I did find this film interesting and genuine, just too frustrating to be enjoyable.