Folles de joie

Whenever I review a foreign language film, I fully realize many people won't bother watching the picture because it's not in English. This is a shame, as many of the better films I have seen have been in a variety of languages and with "Like Crazy", you'd be missing a very good movie.

The story begins in a psychiatric institution in Italy. Beatrice (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) is a patient, though she won't admit this to anyone…even herself. In her distorted mind, she is a countess… and the old mansion used as a hospital was donated by her to treat these unfortunate people! So, while at times Beatrice looks and seems very normal, she is severely deluded and self-absorbed. When a new resident arrives, Beatrice decides to make Donatella (Micaela Ramazzotti) her own personal project. After all, she is a rich, benevolent lady and helping the unfortunates is her life! So how, exactly, does she 'help'? Yep…she orchestrates an escape and soon the oddly matched pair are out on a joy ride…complete with stolen car.

At this point in the movie, Paolo Virzi (who wrote and directed the picture) could have chosen to make the film a kooky comedy, like "Crazy People" or "The Couch Trip"…which is what you might expect with a Hollywood film. Fortunately, "Like Crazy" does not go there but manages to be rather poignant as well as realistic. You learn more about Beatrice and Donatella and their lives outside the institution but there are no magic solutions to their problems. After all, they are indeed very ill and mental illness isn't particularly funny…and is often quite tragic. Now this is not to say that ultimately this is a depressing or tragic film…and it manages to say quite a bit while still being believable and compelling.

I'm not a fan of movies that revolve around mentally ill people. Especially after the "politically correct" approach to how we should feel about such stories became a one-note song, the genre became more dull.

Even though this is thematically somewhere between Rain Man and Thelma and Louise, has a more natural, more organic feel to it. The acting is superb, and the colors of Tuscany shine all the way.

The story is neither too original nor too striking. It just holds together the moments and moods they have wanted to put forward, which is fine.

I found this film by accident and did not regret a moment watching it. Depression is a maladies of our times. Of the modern society. As well as bipolar disorder, these are some illnesses that people frown upon or are reluctant to discuss.

This movie depicts the effects of these diseases and shows more than one inconvenient truths. Balancing between the world of the ill and the real life, it shows how it is to live with a sickness like that and how little distance exists between these people and the ones that are considered healthy.

The leading actors were breathtaking. Being able to act as a bipolar in such a way is not an easy task. This movie has lessons in store for everyone that is interested in seeing what these people go through. And as far as statistics go, you probably have some people in your midst that deal or have dealt with similar issues.

This is not an easy movie. Don't get fooled by the "comedy" genre. It has some comic moments but it's mostly a punch in the stomach if you're up to the task of watching it.

One of my top ten movies of all time is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It still holds up 48 years after its' release. Crazy Life is sort of a step child of Milos Forman's masterpiece. While not as good as Jack Nicholson's best film, it is one of my favorite foreign films of the last ten years. Donatella and Beatrice are a couple of emotionally unstable women who meet at a mental hospital. They click on a shared level of being outcasts from normal society. The misfits team up for a really wild adventure. The actresses are tremendous, with a screen chemistry as good as I have ever seen. The script is both sad and funny, with a completely unpredictable story which kept me guessing from beginning to end. One slight drawback is the rapid fire dialogue here. If you do not speak Italian; and I don't, be prepared to speed read for two hours. Even with that, I highly recommend Crazy Life.

From the writer, director of 'Human Capital' fame. This is a road adventure that's filled with some fun, thrills and emotions. The story of two women and their unplanned journey to their unfinished businesses. Kind of self-discovery theme, but it gets a little crazy as what the title says. If you know Paolo Virzi and his films, then you know what to expect from it.

Well, it begins with when a new member Donatella at a mental institution was fooled by Beatrice, who was there for quite a some time. They might have differences, but have some unfinished affairs outside. An unlikely friendship blooms between them and one weekend, the situation favours them to get away. From there where their journey goes and how it all ends comes in the rest of the narration.

They both are not ill or the danger as they were institutionalised. Then why is what the film is going to narrate for us. Before that, it was initiated with a simple introduction of them and the situation they are in. It was really a good start, but then between the end of the first act and the beginning of the second was looked decent. Because that part was very familiar. You know, what do the people do when they runaway which were mostly wandering around and enjoying the freedom.

I thought it was a good film, not as I expected. Then, ever since the second half was on the roll, it got a lot better, in fact I started to love it. From a meaningless ride to something sensible topic, the narration comes to the point, what it was holding back in the earlier. Each woman's life revealed before to when this story had commenced. So the trip comes to an end when they do what's better for them and everybody around them. Kind of sad, though it concludes in a right way.

"A mother's love is all giving, never expecting anything in return."

The two lead actresses were amazing. Second back to back film for director with Valerina Bruni and she was even better than the previous film. Because the scope of her role was much bigger in this. I don't know I had seen her before, but Micaela Ramazotti was so good, by performance as well as glamorously. There's no way you could part them and say only one of them were good. I loved them both equally. Actually, that's how their characters were developed. The entire film was about them, and they left a mark to remember this film for them.

It's a good film, so I don't think it is an Oscar material as the Italian film board had already picked another film for that. But surely it going to win some international awards. If the same film was made in Hollywood, would have considered an average, because this one got the Italian flavour. The film gets crazy, in an Italian style, and in the perspective of the middle aged women. But it can enjoyed by everyone.

I have been watching a few good Italian films of the year, including this one. So I would definitely recommend it. Nearly two hours long, but the pace gets better while the story developed. Remember this is not the only kind, but one of the best among this theme you had ever seen. Ending the story with high emotional was so good, especially if you like that kind of material. I hope you won't miss it. Meanwhile, I'm so excited for the director who is making his first direct English language film. Looking forward to its release.

8/10