LIKE CRAZY - Film Review

Why do we go to love stories?

Is it to escape the reality of our own romantic entanglements, if only for two short hours, and revel in a love that we've always dreamed of yet never knew? Or is it to see an honest reflection of the way love really is? Messy. Unpredictable. And without the guarantee of happily ever after.

Some of the greatest screen romances ever told have taken the latter route. From "Annie Hall" to "Once," filmmakers have been taking honest looks at both the ups AND downs of modern romance. And while the new indie romance "Like Crazy" may not reach the same stratospheric level of success as those two films, it clearly aims to occupy the same territory.

In this present, we are concerned with the fortunes of Jacob and Anna (Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones). The two meet in college and have one of those whirlwind romances that are usually only reserved for the under 25 set. But like all solid movie romances, their courtship comes with an obstacle. While Miss Jones' British accent may have had both Mr. Yelkin and myself at "hello," it seems as though United States Customs and Immigration agents aren't so charmed. As if conspiring to keep these two apart, the laws of the land keep throwing speed bumps into their fairy tale and threaten to tear the two apart.

Not that this film is an indictment or deep comment on immigration. If you want that, you're better off going for Thomas McCarthy's excellent "The Visitor" from 2007. Come to think of it, that film may also offer more in depth perspective on unspoken love as well.

But, as often is the case, the problem for Jacob and Anna isn't the number of times they verbalized their feelings. Or even the strength of them. It's the fact that in the movie, like outside of it, life too often gets in the way.

I've often compared love to launching a space ship. Simply everything has to go right for it not to end in tragedy. First, you have to meet the right person. Then, you have to meet them at the right time. Then, that person has to actually like you too (therein lies my own usual stumbling block). So, let's say you've miraculously met all the first three requirements and somehow fallen in love. Now, immigration comes along and takes them away and your too poor (or I suspect in the case of Jacob's character too selfish) to fly to England to be with them.

It sucks.

This film asks a number of poignant questions. Why is it that Jacob can't move to England? Doesn't it seem like she's always the one making the sacrifice. Amazingly enough, it's the beautiful Miss Jones that even makes the first move. Talk about things that only happen in the movies! Just because you have an amazing love with someone, does this mean that you're really meant to be with them long term? Can a love like this even survive forever?

This film gets so many things right. That is, if you're one of the people who prefer their fairly tales with a touch of reality. If not, there are plenty of the alternative. "Jerry Maguire," "Notting Hill," "When Harry Met Sally," or any other love story that ends with either one or the other partner literally running to catch the other. And if you prefer those, that's okay. All three are among my favorites and have made me cry on more than one occasion.

But if you're looking for something to remind you of the soul crushing roller coaster ride of love in the real world, this film is for you.