Something you should see… Like Crazy

There are basically two very dissimilar ways the connection between two lovers is depicted on the big screen. The first one includes incredibly photogenic people doing grand romantic gestures in fabulous locales and aspires to offer the audience the idealistic romance they wish they could have. The second one focuses instead on the little details that forge a relationship between two ordinary people, reminding us of the happy as well as the sad moments we’ve shared with our past or current partner.

The latter has often been employed by American indie films to depict the turbulent nature of young love but rarely as successful as in the latest Sundance sensation and winner of the Grand Jury prize, Like Crazy. The film tells the story of the romance that unfolds between Anna (Felicity Jones), a young English woman studying in LA and Jacob (Anton Yelchin) a good-looking American student. When Anna’s Visa expires she (like a fool in love)  takes the decision to stay. After finally heading home for a visit though, she finds herself denied access back into the US and the couple are faced with the challenges of a long-distance relationship.

Director Drake Doremus wisely bypasses fancy camera tricks and a hip indie soundtrack to leave plenty of space for the two talented young actors to build their characters and thus succeeds in making a personal story (the script was based on Doremus’ own experience of a long-distance romance) feel utterly accessible and captivating.

Like Crazy is such a heartfelt experience that even the trite “will they or won’t they” question remains painfully exciting throughout the film right down to the wonderfully fitting, ambivalent ending.

Final verdict: The best indie romantic film in years (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)

Like Crazy is in cinemas now.