Recent Reviews for C.R.A.Z.Y. (Crazy)
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MCT:August 27, 2008such an interesting take on life and one young guy's journey in life in figuring out who he is and how he fits in the world...
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MCT:August 11, 2008This is a movie I will never forget, which is so rare. It is a diamond. The best Canadian movie ever. The best movie about religion stigmas and evolution of the occidental societies ever.
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MCT:August 3, 2008
I saw this movie soon after I lost my baby brother, although able to laugh at parts I could not contain my tears at the end. For a french canadian movie it's tops.
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MCT:July 29, 2008A great artsy movie of a boy who was supposidely blessed by God with a special gift of feeling what others could not. This ability made him a more sensible boy, to his father's dismay.
The acting in the movie was fantastic, the effects were non existant but it doesn't need them. The soundtrack and Grondin's looks are a sweet plus. -
MCT:June 29, 2008
Thought I would love it but it ended up being a good movie with some great moments. Performances from the cast are undoubtedly excellent however the film feels somewhat lacking in the end.
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MCT:June 29, 2008
Never did I expect a Canadian family drama to be so highly enjoyable. Immediately from its first scenes it pulled me right in, placing me in a state of fascination for its very tangible and well-written characters. A feeling which gratefully would come to last throughout the entire plot.
Besides the qualitative writing, the true forte of this movie lies in its outstanding directing. Not since "Amelie from Montmartre" have I been treated to such a heavenly combo of good storytelling and visual superbness. At least, not as it comes to non-Hollywood productions.
All in all a must-see if you're in the mood for a great foreign-language film. Or as the french-canadians would say: Très bien! -
MCT:June 8, 2008
I appreciate this film more and more upon multiple viewings. And I just love the relationship that Zach has with his mother. It reminds me of mine with my own mother. Superb, relatable film that's really worth the watch(es)!
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MCT:June 3, 2008
Extremely well acted. Liking the fact that the director is making the effort to produce a cinematically engaging film in addition to chucking emotions at us. The imagery is effective where the plot is at times bare and too calculated. Also the most deceptive titling I've come across in a while, though I like that there is actually thought and repeating theme creating the odd title. It's on loads of my "recommended to you" lists, so when I pulled it up randomly out of the file fray, I was expecting a 70s American exploitation film. I didn't know I was gonna get a modern French film set in the 70s that exploits one character's "coming of out" plot to drive its main character changes. The sternness of the father is as compelling as say, Ma Vie en Rose, but the film is too tied up on Zac's sexuality, causing little attention to be paid to three of the five brothers (and their names make the title). The cinematic devices and music are happenin' but this just ain't "Breakfast on Pluto". The script is a facade of neatness, but with no real chunky thematic backbone to it. Some themes are overtly played with, but there is no emotion from the characters and story alone (without the sappy music and speed tampering shots). Worth a watch, but at the end of the day, just doesn't feel real or unreal enough to work. Falls into that obvious area in between - undeniably fictional drama.
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MCT:May 30, 2008
apart from everything else, i just love his musical evolution and his transformation from bowie to robert smith...i mean it is just funny the influence music has in your lifestyle..!
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MCT:May 19, 2008
Love the way the story was told, love the characters and it's comic moments. I thought the main theme wasn't concentrated enough though. All actors gave strong performances.
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MCT:April 26, 2008
A French-Canadian film about a family coming together over the course of thirty years. The film focuses on Zac a young man trying to come to terms with his homosexuality, his criminal brother, his intolerant father and his waning Catholicism. The film is very creatively constructed and is able to effectively move through decades in a natural way. There are a lot of neat visual tricks, but it?s never style over substance. The film has a particularly good classic rock soundtrack, there?s a great scene midway through where the main character begins to envision a church congregation start singing along to ?Sympathy for the Devil? as he begins to float above them. The film has a title that is not very good as far making viewer want to watch, but the film is in fact quiet good.
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MCT:April 23, 2008
I find it immensely interesting to watch a film set in Quebec, since there don't seem to be many of them. This film is certainly interesting in many other ways too.
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MCT:April 19, 2008
This is what I call an extraordinarily endearing story. "C.R.A.Z.Y."'s fast pacing works fluidly as the focus is not only in the protagonist, but in his interaction with his aberrant family. An ostracized character never climbed the 'accepting' ladder any higher. This might be its flaw, especially with its clairvoyant and non-sequitur familial bondings, but the tone that it creates is pretty strong . Some great cinematography, some hilarious moments and also the film that introduced me to Patsy Cline - one fine singer.
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MCT:March 12, 2008C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
starring Marc-André Grondin, Michel Côté, Danielle ProulxThis is one of those films I remember seeing in theatre and not being able to get up from my seat until the room was empty when it was over. I was absolutely amazed and I felt I had just been part of something important, cinematically speaking. C.R.A.Z.Y. is absolutely stunning. One of the best Canadian films ever made, and thats saying a lot cause in the last few years, our cinema industry - espeically in Quebec - has proven to become one of the best in the world, just like back when Claude Jutras started making films in the 1960's.C.R.A.Z.Y. is a film about family, self-acceptation, father and son relationship, it also about a moment of our history. With C.R.A.Z.Y. we get to witness the evolution of customs in Quebec from the 60's till now.
With an amazing soundtrack, genuine emotions, real characters, some pretty damn good performances and a very controlled direction even with a limited budget, C.R.A.Z.Y. is a great piece of cinema. Its about a young man, fourth in a family of five dudes, who has to cope with his difference, his sexual orientation. His dad finds it hard to accept and so does he but he finds ways to explore himself and end up admitting everything to the people he loves, in a time when homosexuality wasnt very well-perceived.
Marc-André Grondin manages to plays his character from teenagehood to his adult year pretty well, changing styles and showing a real interest in the music his character loves. Michel Côté is for the first time in a very long while not on auto-pilot and he delivers greatly as the dad who is obssessed with Charles Aznavour. Danielle Proulx is very genuine as the understanding mom and Pierre-Luc Brillant is nothing short of brilliant as the junkie older brother.
There are scenes in this film that feel so real and some others are pretty much dreamlike and uplifting. There is a perfect balance between its themes, its very cinematic look and its undeniable truthfulness. Based on co-writer François Boulay's real life, C.R.A.Z.Y. is a breath of fresh air.
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MCT:February 27, 2008good fiilm..but i am not interested iin movies with ideas of homosexual persons..i don't hate them but i am not obligated to see films with stories like thiw..
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MCT:February 25, 2008
Não é só uma história sobre o amor de pai para filho, é principalmente a história de um filho que ama seu pai incondicionalmente.
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MCT:January 14, 2008
LA vida de Zachary iniciando en una fecha no tan buena... lo mejor, la música, la trama también buena buena buena, como todas la películas que me gustan, se juega con el misterio y la incognita de la verdadera identidad... lo mejor metiendo se con un tema muy delicado, las relaciones familiares y los tabues que se manejan
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MCT:January 1, 2008
I wasn't expecting too much out of 'C.R.A.Z.Y.' but I was pleasantly surprised. Certainly not the best foreign film I've seen, but it holds it's own as a powerful, gut-wrenching but poignant coming-of-age story. The entire cast turns in magnificent performances especially the main character and the father. Coming-of-age genre is so over-done and when it's done originally and refreshingly like it's done here, it's remarkable. While the film has serious pacing flaws towards the middle and it takes a while in the beginning to get to know the characters, the film is solid for the most part and features a very powerful and relevant conclusion. For those who appreciate good film-making, I strongly recommend 'C.R.A.Z.Y.'. Grade: B
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MCT:December 23, 2007
This movie is ideal for parents with gay sons. The photography is awesome, all according to those times.
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MCT:December 21, 2007
A great study of a family with a cornucopia of problems, centering around the closeted gay character Zac. Recommended.
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MCT:December 19, 2007
C.R.A.Z.Y. takes place in Canada for a 20 year span starting in 1960 and is the story of one of five brothers trying to come to terms with his sexuality and accept who he is.
First of all, it's experly acted, and just a great film. The emotions from the actors (especially those playing Zach and his parents) are so real I forgot I was watching a film at times. More than that tho, it succeeds more fully where Brokeback Mountain fell short in some respects.
When Brokeback came out, a lot of gay men especially thought it was a great thing, a film like that getting so much attention and recognition. But Brokeback's characters aren't role models for the gay community. The characters played by Gyllenhaal and Ledger make make morally and socially irresponsible choices and never seem to learn from them.
And while C.R.A.Z.Y.'s Zach isn't the ideal role model either, the film is more sensetive and responsible in the evolution of Zach's journey to acceptance and the choices he makes along the way, especially the conclusion.
Everyone can learn something from this film. And everyone should watch it. -
MCT:December 3, 2007
Très belle histoire qui sort des sentiers battus et qui aborde le sujet d'une manière plus originale et plus authentique...
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MCT:November 29, 2007
Absolutely stunning film, telling the story of Zac and his family of four older brothers, mother and father over 25 years from his birth in 1960. I have so many superlatives for this film I risk spouting hyperbole, but this is truly a terrific piece of work.
Zac, born on Christmas day, grows up in a Catholic family (and his mother is convinced that that his date of birth means he has powers to heal the sick) feeling isolated, an outcast - he feels inexplicably different and longs only to fit in. As a child, Zac seems to be favored by his father but as he enters his teens there's a key shift change in their relationship and things are never the same.
This has to be one of the most successful coming of age films, and more specifically, coming out films I have ever seen. C.R.A.Z.Y. features an exceptional performance from Marc-André Frondin as Zac, who convinces as a 15 year old right up until his mid twenties, inspired direction, with an array of camera and effects techniques that never grow tired and avoid pastiche, a perfect soundtrack (Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Patsy Kline, Pink Floyd) and a resonant, moving story. Gripping from beginning to end credits, the film finishes on a hopeful note that feels genuinely earned. *Love* it.
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MCT:October 31, 2007
Well, this is indeed a nice film. It's well done, well acted and the music is just great. It's also very, very realistic, and the growth in the character is told with honesty. Every character is believable, as well as the actions. However, the movie, it seems to me, has two failures: it gets too slow when Zach turns 20, REALLY slow. Then, the journey part is too cheesy and unrealistic, though I do understand iits importance to the story. In all, it's very enjoyable and intelligent, though overextended.
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MCT:October 30, 2007
Tudo no filme é muito acertado, desde a parte mais técnica até o roteiro, que é cheio de excelentes sacadas, passando pelo elenco impecável. Apesar de ser um filme com uma temática gay, não há nada gratuito ou panfletário no filme. O filme acompanha o protagonista Zach desde sua infância até o começo de sua vida adulta, sempre enfocando a relação dele com sua grande e multifacetada família. É impressionante o trabalho do menino que interpreta o protagonista quando criança. Sem cair em qualquer estereótipo de "criança-bichinha", o menino interpreta, com as devidas sutilezas, a realidade de uma criança que desde sempre se percebe diferente das demais. São retratadas suas dúvidas, sua solidão, seus medos e seu sentimento de rejeição da própria identidade afetiva e sexual. Não há como não se envolver com a história de Zach e seus pais: a forma como seu pai não o compreende e como ele tenta, em vão, se adequar aos sonhos do pai; e a proteção por sua mãe, ao percebê-lo diferente das demais crianças. Na adolescência e na juventude, os esboços da homossexualidade de Zach começam a se concretizar... Tudo isso ocorre em meio a uma trilha sonora incrível, bem 70's, que rende momentos memoráveis. Um filme "temático", mas com mil outras qualidades. Sem contar que a história de Zach acaba levando o espectador (gay, né) a fazer um grande flashback da sua vida. É um dos melhores filmes que vi nos últimos tempos.
