C.R.A.Z.Y.

A couple weeks ago, I was added to the great group of people blogging on the lovely Collision. For my first post, I introduced one of my favourite films: C.R.A.Z.Y.



It’s a french language film from Québec directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and starring Marc-André Grondin, Michel Côté and Danielle Proulx. IMDb describes the film as “a story of two love affairs. A father's love for his five sons and one son's love for his father, a love so strong it compels him to live a lie. That son is Zac Beaulieu, born on the 25th of December 1960, different from all his brothers, but desperate to fit in. During the next 20 years, life takes Zac on a surprising and unexpected journey that ultimately leads him to accept his true nature and, even more importantly, leads his father to love him for who he really is. A mystical fable about a modern-day Christ-like figure, "C.R.A.Z.Y" exudes the beauty, the poetry and the madness of the human spirit in all its contradictions.”



The acronym C.R.A.Z.Y. stands for the names of the five sons: Christian, Raymond, Antoine, Zachary and Yvan although the story focuses mainly on Zachary’s struggle to accept his sexuality and to have others accept him for who he is. Struggling for answers and acceptance, Zac turns to God; in his younger years through prayer, in his rebellious teen years through the songs of rock legends such as David Bowie and as a young adult by attempting to follow the footsteps of Christ.



I absolutely adore everything about this film. The story is phenomenal, the actors are extraordinary and the wardrobe and soundtrack are amazing. The story was created by various anecdotes from Vallée's old neighbour, Francois Boulay, with who he co-wrote the script. Vallée states: “This, of course, is the stuff of families, where some of the warmest things are said and done but also some of the harshest and cruellest. I told him to write it all down and we'll make a great film.” Vallée was being modest, this film is far better than great. I would recommend this to anyone, and all those I know who have seen it have enjoyed it very much.

Here are a few more pictures from the film and the trailer:


Zachary (Marc-Andre Grondin) as a young adult.


Zachary riding on the back of his brother, Raymond's, motorcycle.


Zachary and his father (Michel Côté), singing on Zachary's 20th birthday.


Zachary's parents (Michel Côté and Danielle Proulx)

And finally, the trailer! Here it is WITHOUT English subtitles


and here it is WITH English subtitles:


C.R.A.Z.Y. is really everything I look for in a film, and Hollywood would do well to take some cues from this Québecois film.

(* cross posted from the cooperative blog Collision)