Film Review: 'Like Crazy' ... it may drive you crazy.

Often, as I'm sure many others do too, I will search the internet for a Rom-Com to pass the time. Usually this is done on a bed day, or evening in which I want to feel soppy while gorging on chocolate. On more than one occasion, this search has led me to 'Like Crazy'. 

'Like Crazy' is a film starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones, as two students who fall in love. Not an unheard of story. Their love, as all do, has a lot of obstacles to overcome and endure. The biggest of which being the fact that the female of the pair, Anna, is a British student studying in America. 

Their crazy love causes stupidity, of course, and Anna ignores her expired Visa and stays a few months too many in Los Angeles with her partner, Jacob. When she tries to return to America, border control send her right back. 

The premise and potential for such a good film - and yet my hopes were dashed. 

Luckily I wasn't too optimistic with this one. As mentioned above, this is not the only time my search for a romance to pass the time has led me to 'Like Crazy', it is just the only time I have forced myself to give it a chance. 

Probably twice before this viewing I have begun to watch this film. Each time I switched off less than two minutes in. 

I wasn't drawn in, I wasn't attracted to the characters and didn't empathise with them. Despite the director rushing into the unrealistic and cringe-worthy romance the whole thing seemed simultaneously slow and fast paced. The opening was boring. I found myself thinking, if this was the opening to a book I'd neither borrow it from a library or buy it. 

Today though, after coming across the clichéd title in my search once more, I decided to give it a go and see it through. I was in the mood for something romantic and realistic, as well as sad, and according to the reviews it seemed like a good call. I was also drawn in by the fact Alex Kingston and Jennifer Lawrence appear, and as a fan of theirs I had hope. 

I watched the film all the way through and wished I had believed my previous fears.

Pretty much the same look of disappointment
the film gave me.

I finished the viewing with no more love for the "loved up" couple than at times they seemed to have for each other. I didn't care for them, or their story, which became as confusing as their feelings for each other in parts.

There was no real indication for time passing, other than the characters casually mentioning years passing in conversation, which made what was supposed to be a relationship witnessed through the years, appear to have happened all in the space of what could have been a year. Which probably made the fickle couple seem more crazy (not in the about-each-other-way) than they actually were. 

If you are ever searching the web for a romance to fill your day/evening/mind then definitely, please, look further. Even if, like I sometimes do, you are wanting a romantic comedy of sorts, something predictable that you don't have to pay much attention to on a lazy-viewing, still look further than 'Like Crazy'. It's so mind numbingly boring, plain and dull, than it will drive you to get out of your bed, put a halt on your lazy day, in order to hunt for a hammer to destroy whatever device you just watched it on while you contemplate how your relaxing lazy evening has been ruined. 

Hopefully this manages to save at least one person from wasting 90 minutes of their life. 

I'm Always Write.

'Always Write' - the name of this blog. 

One of the most difficult things to do when it comes to blogging, finding a suitable name. 

It has to be short and snappy, it has to be memorable, and it has to not only sum up the writer, but the blog too. One short snappy title to some up the entire contents of the blog. A mammoth task.

I deliberated a lot while trying to decide the name of this one. 

My first ever blog was called 'The Girl in the Corner'. The name acted as an alias and a title. The blog was a place where I could write my poetry and thoughts and not feel judged as nobody knew it was me writing them. The blog was written during my early teens and was a place for me to open up without actually having to talk to anyone. It mainly involved posts and poems about being bullied and my first and second boyfriends. 

I grew out of it. 

When applying for university I decided I needed to ditch the cloak and dagger and expose myself. I needed to grow up, and take a more mature approach to my writing. If I wanted to become an author, actually letting people read my work was a given. I created a blog called 'Thought Bubble' - as it was a place where my thoughts were collected. 

I neglected 'Thought Bubble' though, and have now begun 'Always Write' - and this time I'm here to stay. 

With 'Always Write' I am taking blogging, and myself, more seriously. I am creating a more professional and mature blog, and will blog often - like a proper blogger!

The title, 'Always Write', sums me up because I do just that, I always write. I don't believe a writer can ever really stop. You can't switch off creativity. If I'm physically not writing I'll be thinking of ideas. 

In case you didn't guess, the title is also a pun. 

Now I'm not saying that I am always right, however much I, and other women, may say that we are. Sometimes we women are wrong, but by the time we work that out it would mean admitting defeat. 

I am sometimes wrong, of course I am. The title though seemed fitting, especially seeing as I will be writing opinions and reviews here. It also seemed fitting as during a debate I'll often be heard saying "I'm always right".

Also, it's punny. 

The Awkward Introduction

I'm not really one for introductions.

In fact, I sometimes forget to make them. When I first met my neighbours at my last flat they said "Hi I'm Name from flat 2" and I just said "Hello" back - completely forgetting to even telling them my name. It's not intentional, I realise my mistake afterwards and kick myself, but then it's that awkward too-late-to-say-anything stage. The worst part is I do it all the time. 

I'm not sure I've ever made a good first impression - they're awkward, aren't they? 

First impressions are usually always false too. When you first meet someone I don't believe you meet the real them. We all hold something back or act unintentionally odd because of the situation, it's unavoidable. Well, unless you're one of those amazingly-confident-god-like human beings that are comfortable in any situation (I envy you). 

So don't make your judgement of me from this first post, read a few more and get to know the person as awkward as this post. 

Oh and also, before I forget - my name is Shelby, hello. 

I'm a Creative and Professional Writing student at Canterbury Christ Church University and will be writing my thoughts, opinions, and reviews here - as well as sharing snippets of my life.