"Like Crazy," A Film That Explores Long Distance Dating in the 21st Century

Like Crazy is a new indie comedy that takes us into the world of 21st Century romance.  It suggests just how intercontinental dating has become.

While in college, Jacob, played by Anton Yelchin, falls for a British student named Anna, played by Felicity Jones.  Their romance burns strongly but Anna is faced with having to return to London due to the restrictions of her student visa.  Being youthful and impulsive, she decides to stay the summer with Jacob in America, thus violating her immigration rights.  When she finally does return to London they struggle with her ability to get back into the U.S.  What results is a long-distance relationship that puts a strain on the closeness they originally had.

Part of what is interesting about Like Crazy is that it explores something that might be much more common today than ever before.  With the ability to text and regularly phone each other, the couple has the chance to stay continually connected.  Although interestingly, the film never explores the even greater social connections afforded by people who Skype or use Apple’s FaceTime feature.  In that sense, the film may find that it will quickly date itself. 

Yet, it is the romantic connection made between the two young lovers that will draw most viewers into their predicament.  (The young college student next to me in the theater cried through most of the film.) It seems to explore the quick decisions made by today’s youth that may not be looking at the realistic long-term prospects for such a distanced-challenged relationship.

It also explores the bureaucracy associated with immigration and how one bad decision can have a long-term effect on the ease of getting in and out of a country.  The film suggests that even deciding to marry doesn’t make the situation much easier. 

I enjoyed Like Crazy.  It certainly is compelling and the narrative effectively leaps ahead in time throughout the couple’s story, allowing the audience to easily fill in the gaps between events.   Thankfully, cliché-ridden scenes are not as common as one might expect from this genre film.  Their struggle does get a little tiresome though and I’m not sure that the film does much that’s particularly memorable.  However it is a romance for the ages that appropriately depicts the new complexities associated with our increasingly global social culture.  Like Crazy is now playing at Landmark Theaters in Chicago.