Did Drake Doremus set out from the start to simply present us with a parody of what it is to be well-funded and private-schooled? Was that his one goal? I find it hard to believe, which means that something here has missed the mark.
Neither of the two main characters in Like Crazy are going to shock you. The love story may be unconventional and the relationship believable, but the film comes down to the one sad fact that neither Jacob nor Anna, played by Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones, are likeable in any sizeable way.
I like my cinema to break down stereotypes, not shove them in my face. The leading couple are both smart, young people who will go on after their studies to work in design and media. Anna constantly scribbles in some sort of moleskine while Jacob continually sketches ideas for chairs. They like Paul Simon and drink red wine, while Anna introduces Jacob to whiskey-drinking. Now, allow me to break it down; Jacob’s chairs never vary in any way and are laughable in their simplicity, and the whiskey that Anna so greatly recommends is a Glenfiddich, probably one of the most boring of all the malts, in my opinion.
Listening to myself right now, I realise how cynical I sound. You should have seen my face when I saw the trailer - it takes a strong stomach to take this sort of romance, sweet enough to ache your teeth. However, the pace of the film is enjoyably quick. There’s always something happening in the relationship, mirroring the crazy aspect of young love that Doremus is aiming to convey. Pretty shots of the two get across more than just their wispy good looks. Split screens, mirrors and glass partitions doom the relationship from the start, foreshadowing the distance which will inevitably leave them cold for each other. The plot delivers an interesting assumption on love that is nonetheless depressing: it is not people with whom we fall in love, but circumstance.
Despite these small triumphs, it is just all too middle class. Apologies for boiling this down to an issue of schooling, but this film will alienate anyone who has never tried a vintage rioja or travelled on a gap yaaaaaaah...
And yet, here I am, considering the notes that I took in some eco-friendly, prettily designed, probably over-priced notebook. I’m typing on a macbook and, yes, I’m indulging in a glass of red wine. Jings, don’t you just love social mobility?
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