Review of Crazy/Beautiful (2001) by Darrell S — 19 Nov 2009

Crazy Beautiful: Influenced by Love.

The movie Crazy Beautiful was directed by John Stockwell. This dramatic romance film takes place in Los Angeles, California. Kirsten Dunst and Jay Hernandez play the most prominent roles in the film. Kirsten Dunst plays a teenage girl named Nicole and Jay Hernandez plays a teenage boy named Carlos. Bruce Davidson played Congressman Tom Oakley who was the most important supporting actor in the film, he played Nicole?s father.

Crazy Beautiful was about a troubled teenage girl by the name of Nicole. Nicole started to change and live a negative lifestyle once her mom dies. Nicole then meets a teenage boy by the name of Carlos. Carlos is a well raised young man and values education and he someday wants to become a pilot. Nicole and Carlos live to opposite lifestyles; Carlos is poor while Nicole is very wealthy because her dad (Tom Oakley) is a congressman. Nicole and Carlos start to get serious and fall in love with one another. Both of their lives started to change once they got together. Carlos life started to change for the worse; he started to drink and party, he also has a run in with the police. Nicole started to change for the better because she knew Carlos wasn?t into all the negative things she was into. Carlos meets Nicole?s father, Mr. Oakley likes Carlos because he has goals and plans for his life and has the potential to be successful. As Tom realizes the affect his daughter Nicole is having on Carlos he makes a drastic decision that causes both of the teenagers a lot of heartache.

One aspect of the film that I didn?t like was the acting. I feel that Nicole could have been played better by being a little more emotional. For example in the movie, Carlos drives Nicole from a party and they get stopped by the police. They both are taking home by the police because Nicole over reacts to the police procedures. Nicole starts to argue with her dad about the decisions she make in her life and Nicole starts to cry; but the affection and emotions did not seem real to me. It just seemed like Kirsten Dunst wasn?t into the part. I feel that if she was more connected to the part I would have enjoyed the movie a lot more.

An aspect of film making that I actually enjoyed was the costume design. The costume design in the story really helps distinguish the rich from the poor. In the film Carlos?s family attire showed that that they were less fortunate than Nicole?s family as they wore casual clothing. This also touches upon the distinction of Hispanic heritage in their choice of attire. The film contrasted the rich people?s attire to poor people?s attire.

Overall the film was pretty good. It had a great storyline and a great moral. Even though the actors weren?t that great, I still enjoyed watching the movie because it?s romantic and dramatic at the same time. I would tell potential viewers to relate their lives to it in some way from or fashion and it would be better.

Review written by: Darrell Stallings.