"Drake Doremus' camera work consistently carries a sense of fleeting detachment, as if it's always navigating through a fluid dream, peeling away the happiness and beauty from the foundation of reality in the story. This creates a disjointed cinematic illusion, allowing each viewer to easily find traces of their own familiar shadows in the film. In moments of reverie, they may see not Jacob and Anna on the big screen, but themselves and their own memories.
The script crafted by Drake Doremus and Ben York Jones is delicate and insightful. The film's uniqueness lies not in merely narrating a simple love story, but in delving into the true nature of love: there's no right or wrong, everything comes down to timing. Even deeply in love, two people can still miss each other due to twists of fate.
The same story, set against the backdrop of World War II or an era of racial discrimination, might have been endowed with historical weight and epic grandeur. The twists of fate would evoke endless sighs, potentially creating a masterpiece like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".
Yet, the brilliance of the film lies in stripping away all these additional factors, minimizing the grandeur of destiny, and returning the focus to the essence of society. It magnifies the emotion of 'love,' sacrificing the film's scope and structure, but successfully allowing every viewer to immerse themselves in it. It single-mindedly, wholeheartedly tells a story about love and only love.
Aspiring screenwriters could study the film's details: Jacob's sketches, the chair Jacob gives to Anna, the whiskey Anna enjoys, Anna's diary – these details perfectly depict a sense of belonging. Gradually, they draw the two characters closer, then further apart.
Regrettably, in handling these details, Doremus appears somewhat impatient and immature. In the film's final moments, after Anna finishes the once-beloved whiskey, she rushes to the bathroom to vomit. Jacob's sketches lose their former spiritual essence, becoming ordinary.
This heightened emphasis on details inadvertently reveals the director's intentions with clarity, but it leaves less room for the audience's contemplation. To some extent, the film provides answers according to the director's perspective.
However, it's undeniable that this remains an outstanding film. Anchored by a love story that's simple to its core yet pure, it interprets a distinct aura and depth. In this regard, "Like Crazy" is deeper than "(500) Days of Summer", though slightly inferior to "Blue Valentine".
Notably, Renly Hall, this film's second major work, shines the brightest amidst the ensemble. His performance is nuanced and profound, restrained yet complex. It's as if he says everything while saying nothing at all. Under his portrayal, the sediment and change of time, the tumultuousness and entanglement of emotions, become vivid and authentic.
Stunning. It's not just stunning; it's stunning all over again. Following "Buried", Hall once again delivers an Oscar-worthy performance!"
After completing the review, Elizabeth carefully read through it, realizing that some sentences might not flow smoothly and her personal emotions might still be somewhat discernible. The editor-in-chief of the New York Times might nitpick, or even consider it unfit for publication. Yet, this was her current train of thought. She liked the film, really liked it, even more than "Blue Valentine".
Is this a perfect film? No, from a technical perspective, there is still room for improvement, and the script's impact falls slightly short of "Brokeback Mountain". However, this doesn't at all affect her personal preferences.
Suddenly, Elizabeth began to understand Roger Ebert's rating system. Objective critique was one thing, but subjective judgment was another.
After thinking for a while, Elizabeth finally gave it a score of ninety out of one hundred and sent the manuscript out. Last year, she gave "Blue Valentine" a score of eighty-eight.
Once she confirmed that the email had been sent, Elizabeth let out a long sigh, leaning back in her chair with her shoulders sagging heavily. She lifted the coffee cup, gazing at the snowflakes gently falling outside the window. Her restless mood was gradually settling. Encountering "Like Crazy" at the Sundance Film Festival was a good experience.
In this sleepless night, Elizabeth wasn't the only film critic ensnared by personal emotions. Stephen Holden of Variety magazine also found himself in a bit of a predicament.
He had already edited this review of "Like Crazy" five times, but still found it unsatisfactory. Yet, when he contemplated further revisions, he had no idea where to start.
This film was truly exceptional; it appeared unremarkable, but upon closer examination, it contained numerous profound thoughts. Stephen's initial impression after watching the film was that it was like "Blue Valentine", but not as good. That was his conclusion.
Given that he gave "Blue Valentine" eighty-five points last year, "Like Crazy" should hover between seventy-five and eighty points.
However, sitting in front of his computer and crafting the review, he found that his thoughts were tumbling ceaselessly in his mind.
He wasn't a novice in the field anymore. He had been writing film reviews for Variety magazine for four years, with even longer experience preceding that. His recognition by the most authoritative and professional Hollywood magazine was, in itself, a testament to his abilities. But when it came to "Like Crazy", after savoring it slowly, he always discovered more.
"As the film's end credits started to roll, the audience sat quietly in their seats, savoring the conclusion the film left behind. Amidst the bitterness was a hint of helpless melancholy. They tried to find precise words to describe their emotions but ultimately failed. All feelings eventually transformed into a sigh.
This signifies that "Like Crazy" has achieved success.
In 1989, "When Harry Met Sally" was released, presenting the process of two strangers gradually becoming friends and eventually lovers in a delicate and authentic manner. The success of the details forged an exceptional romantic film, making it a classic recorded in history. "Like Crazy" reminded me of that film.
Different from "When Harry Met Sally", which clearly and explicitly presented fifteen years as coordinates, the timeline of "Like Crazy" is subtle and almost lost within the film's ethereal emotions. With a moment's inattention, you might overlook the passage of time.
The screenwriters hid all the details within conversations and then showcased the powerful force of time's transformation through plot transitions and the actors' performances. The subtle emotional changes, seemingly crude but actually refined, were depicted vividly through the lens. From meeting and falling in love, to parting and persevering, to exhaustion and finally disillusionment. The process of love from budding to disappearing, painfully real.
When the film concludes, everything falls into place naturally, effortlessly bridging illusion and reality. It leaves behind a puzzle, a challenge, an enigma, for every audience member to solve. No hope, no despair, and no answer. This is what makes the film superior to "When Harry Met Sally"; it isn't a Hollywood romantic fairy tale but a part of life.
"Like Crazy" accomplished an almost impossible task, presenting the entire process of love's rise, development, transformation, and resolution without blaming anyone for the mistakes made, thereby presenting the most primal aspect of love. Perhaps it lacked the cruelty and intensity of "Blue Valentine", but it was more replete, vivid, and complete.
This was Drake Doremus' third feature film. With its richly colored scenes, genuinely intriguing details, and precise control, it showcased a highly accomplished work that was truly refreshing. However, the real triumph of the film lay in its casting: Felicity Jones and Renly Hall delivered the most splendid performances since the opening of the Sundance Film Festival, contributing to the film's success.
Twenty-two years ago, the audience witnessed the fifteen-year journey of Harry and Sally, culminating in the union of lovers. Twenty-two years later, the audience bore witness to the heartrending romance of Jacob and Anna, with an ending so intense it nearly took their breath away."
Stephen extinguished the cigarette in his hand and reviewed his manuscript once more.
In this moment, what surfaced in his mind wasn't the suffocatingly brutal segments of the latter part of the film, but rather the scene where Jacob and Anna went on a trip to the island of Catalina. Jacob, in order to amuse Anna, went to great lengths, even clumsily dancing to make her smile, genuinely causing amusement.
Once upon a time, he also went to great lengths to win a smile from a girl, but now they were living apart, waiting for the time limit to elapse and for them to divorce automatically.
They had tried, strived, persisted, and fought, yet in the end, they had reached this point. They still loved each other deeply, tried to find a solution, tried to find a way out. But now, he finally understood: he wasn't wrong, and neither was she. It was just that they missed each other, that was all.
Just like Jacob and Anna.
After some contemplation, Stephen added another paragraph to the conclusion.
"This is a film about love, as well as a film about reality. In the movie, we seek the truth of reality, while in reality, we seek the illusion of the movie. Drake Doremus masterfully achieved this film. It's beautiful and moving, genuine and profound, delicate and brutal. Without a doubt, it's one of the finest works of 2011!"
Then, Stephen entered the score at the end and sent the email directly.
Staring blankly at the email for a moment, he dialed that familiar number. He thought he had forgotten, but his fingers effortlessly pressed down the digits. It was already midnight, and the phone rang for a while before being answered. She didn't speak, just silence on the other end. But he knew she was there.
After a brief silence, he spoke, "Let's get a divorce."
Waiting for a while, her familiar voice came through the phone, "Alright."
Stephen's gaze fell onto the computer screen.
Ninety points. The email was thus marked at the end.