Like Crazy Movie Review

Written and Media by Kelsey Neier.

https://youtu.be/qUaK_E2T7gU

The movie Like Crazy is directed by Paolo Virzì and is set to be released May 18th, 2016. The movie is produced by Marco Belardi with Carlo Virzì composing the music throughout the play. It shows the story of two women with different backgrounds who become friends while being treated at a mental institution. They break free from all the nuns and patients within the institution and take Tuscany by storm. The audience follows these two women and their hilarious shenanigans around Italy. This film is full of laughter, heartache and the strength of a friendship that will overcome any obstacle.

Although the play is very comical, it also consists of many serious moments where the friendship between Beatrice and Donatella is tested. Beatrice (Bruni Tedeschi) is a chatterbox, has aristocratic lineage, and is able to come up with one lie after another to keep her and Donatella out of trouble. However, sometimes her lies actually end up with the two girls in hot water. She is able to hold herself together, even while mixing her medication. She mostly stays away from the residents within the mental facility. Beatrice tricks Donatella into thinking she’s a therapist when Beatrice is caught trying to switch her own medication. The two eventually get to know each other a little bit better and become friends.

Donatella (Ramazzotti) is a mess inside and out. She has scars from the past of having her son taken away from her at a young age after she tried to kill him. She is extremely thin and covered in tattoos. She tends to stay away from all social interaction with the patients at the mental institution. She is distrusting of what anyone says to her. Donatella is heavily medicated and keeps to herself until Beatrice’s bold personality and meddling ways eventually lead her to slowly start coming out of her shell. She starts to open up to Beatrice and they board a bus away from the mental institution and back into their old lives again.

We see a strong bond of friendship throughout this movie. Although it is a dysfunctional relationship by two dysfunctional people, somehow in the end it all works out. They both realize that they are not perfect, but then again, who is? Donatella is able to see her son and spend a little time with him. She knows deep down that she needs to take care of herself first, before she can see him again. She knows that she is still not her best self, and wants to get the help she needs so she can see him again under different circumstances. I wished that she could take her son back right then and there and reclaim him, but I understand why that would not have been possible yet.

I really enjoyed this movie. I think that it can relate to a large audience, because many people have the same struggles. I am sure that there are many people who have lost a loved one, or gone through some sort of abuse whether that be mental, emotional, physical or substance abuse. We see two very different people who both have some tough issues that the characters have to deal with in their lives that will continue on, even after the last scene. This movies shows that we all how our own problems to deal with, but they are easier to face if we have somebody by our side who loves and cares about us. I definitely give this film a high rating and recommend you see it this summer. It deals with many real world problems, and shows that friendship can triumph any situation.