fludd.org - Movie Review

Ok, like many people in Canada, I am taking an opportunity to watch C.R.A.Z.Y., a movie that was not only considered as a national hit, but also a movie that was acclaimed internationally by being sold in at least fifty countries. Even though director Jean-Marc Vallée said that this movie could have been done in the United States with more money, I believe that from what I am seeing, I can say that I was very elated to see so much artistic finesse and passion put on screen.

First of all, what does the title C.R.A.Z.Y. refers to, according to you? It is the first letters of the Beaulieu’s family five sons’ first name: Christian, Raymond, Antoine, Zachary and Yvan. Moreover, by taking in consideration all the songs that are played in the movie, Crazy is also the title of a song from Patsy Cline. Despite looking like a very ordinary movie, director Jean-Marc Vallée (Liste Noire) has given to his movie the look of a cinematographic chronicle that has been made in China with its very deep thorough psychological presentation of the characters and also its pace that can be slow at times.

Furthermore, C.R.A.Z.Y. transports us from the 1960s to the 1980s in order to depict the changes that will be brought in the Beaulieu family, in terms of relation, and one of the strength of this fantastic work of art is certainly its ability to make ordinary people recognise themselves in this amazing movie even though it is very clear to us that C.R.A.Z.Y. does rely on social caricatures and clichés. For instance, Gervais Beaulieu, the father, is really the model of a tough father who says loudly that he never “brought a fag to life”. Moreover, if you look at Zachary’s brothers (he’s the leading character), you will see a nerd, a drug-addict, a tough athlete and a little ordinary brother that you have probably seen somewhere.

Apart from having a great strength to brush a good portrait of the characters and also their relations, C.R.A.Z.Y., unfortunately, doesn’t put enough emphasis on the historical aspect of the story. Even though, we, Canadians, are able to see all the suggestions of the changes that the province of Quebec is going through, it might be very hard for perfect foreigners to see the various changes of mentality that built the Canadian society. The first part of the movie takes place during the Quiet Revolution (Révolution Tranquille, in French), but the suggestions that the province of Quebec is heading quickly towards social progress is not easy to see for those who don’t know Canadian History, but at least, it doesn’t make the movie suffer too much.

In my opinion, one of the reason why you should run at a video club in order to rent C.R.A.Z.Y. is definitely its incredible acting delivered with grandeur, greatness and ability from the well-chosen cast. As Zachary Beaulieu, Marc-André Grondin really steals the spotlight with his performance that really strikes the right note. Grondin’s strength lies in his ability to draw Zachary hesitation, and also refusal, to openly admit what he really is, but as the movie’s storyline advances, Zachary learns to stand with the head up in front of all the persons that are surrounding him and reveal them without shame what he has always been, even though Canada was not opened to homosexuality and same-sex marriages in the 1980s (this time will eventually come in 2004).

Michel Côté (Le Dernier Tunnel) shows up with so a visible solidity that has helped him to build his reputation. Whether he has to act like a tough father who doesn’t want to accept his son’s homosexuality or recite the words “Hier encore j’avais vingt ans” while he is singing a song from French singer Charles Aznavour, Michel Côté is the perfect choice to play such a tough and interesting character, although Gervais does look like a social caricature. As Laurianne Beaulieu, the mother of the family, Danielle Proulx takes the occasion to put her acting experience at the service of such an amazing movie, but even though she doesn’t appear in the movie as much as Michel Côté and Marc-André Grondin, she takes the time to do her work correctly whenever she appears on screen. As the brothers (respectively Christian, Raymond, Antoine and Yvan), Maxime Tremblay, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Alex Gravel and Félix-Antoine Despatie are all superb without a doubt.

Finally, if you’re looking for a good movie, C.R.A.Z.Y. is certainly a good movie for you, because since it is presenting a very ordinary family on the screen, many people will be able to recognise themselves in this movie that astonishes us by the great depth in the presentation of the characters. Great music. Great feelings. Great acting. What else shoud be said about C.R.A.Z.Y., eh? Just watch it. That’s what I am saying and you will understand why C.R.A.Z.Y. has been well received by the audience at the Venice International Film Festival.

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