We Loved it Like Crazy

by Lexie Fuhr

Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus, portrays the struggle of a young couple’s romance, as they attempt to sustain true love over several years, while living thousands of miles apart. Anna, a smart and passionate, blossoming writer, played by Felicity Jones, is finishing her last year of college in Los Angeles, where she meets Jacob, played by Anton Yelchin, a soft and humble carpenter studying furniture design. Anna makes the first move, sending a letter to Jacob asking him out on a date, and the two experience an instant chemistry, a magnetic attraction. The couple is in paradise, without a care in the world, until reality strikes. Post graduation, Anna's student visa expires, forcing her to return to London. As the thought of leaving Jacob seems unimaginable, Anna decides to disobey the demands of her visa, and spend the summer in America. Anna finally returns to London, assuming she will only be separated from Jacob very briefly. However, when she returns to Los Angeles, the violation of her visa is brought up, and deemed immediate grounds for deportation. Anna and Jacob are soon caught in a web of immigration laws and government affairs, as they try desperately to keep their love alive. This struggle takes places over several years, while Anna and Jacob both find themselves drifting apart, attempting to see other people, only to be struck by the inescapable freight train of true love.

Like Crazy gives viewers a modern spin on a traditional story of love lost and found, however, although the lead characters themselves are very attributable to the movie’s success, their real life chemistry undeniable, the story’s time structure in the movie may be unfavorable to some viewers. The chronological gaps between certain moments of a lengthy relationship can be a bit agitating, even with the use of combinations of scenes, and sped-up footage. But there are several intimate and emotionally intense points in the movie that create completely new conditions for the characters, and feelings for viewers. These interruptions are especially noticeable in the plotline for characters like Sam, played by Jennifer Lawerence, and Simon, played by Charlie Bewley, the two people Anna and Jacob become involved with, as their long distance relationships begins to fail. The moments of Sam and Simon appear, and disappear just as quickly highlight the filmmaker’s issue of focus. Like Crazy’s divergent structure, forces viewers to simply accept certain changes to the characters relationship, without letting them see the critical moments when the actual decisions were made, and why. Given the talent of the two actors telling the tale, it would have been easy, and beneficial to the storyline to show some additional key moments along the journey, making the end, an insightful comment on the nature of love much more satisfying. Despite some issues with structure and focus, Like Crazy is still one of the best modern day love stories to come about in the past few years, a must-see for anyone who can relate to the idea of life getting in the way of happiness.