A good chunk of Like Crazy is so minimal you’ll need a magnifying glass to find it.
Director Drake Doremus (2010’s Douchebag, and no he didn’t win the snag award) valiantly tries to emulate masterful British director Mike Leigh by going essentially scriptless. About all this film has in common with Leigh (Another Year, Secrets & Lies, Naked) is a character with a British accent (the winsome, gorgeous, and savvy Felicity Jones). While the chemistry between Jones (a student in Los Angeles who overstays her Visa after falling in love) and furniture designer Anton Yelchin is intriguing at first, things rapidly descend into two parts self-conscious affectation for every one part cinematic, dialogue-free insight.
A drama about a long distance relationship has much potential. It can grow in so many various ways that it is hard to imagine it not finding a steady beat. But the film does tend to feel raw to its core. That is much due to it’s stylistic technique and the improvisation, both of which can be adored as much as they can be hated. Sometimes it feels like the cat got Jones and Yelchin’s collective tongue. A little dialogue in key places can go a long way. When mixed together with the beauty of the film however you find yourself wrapped up in their story which feels like there are no wrong decisions, only mixed up, tangled, like-crazy, emotions.
6.5 Improvises (Out of 10)
