C.R.A.Z.Y. DVD: Review By Brian

C.R.A.Z.Y. is the story of Zac (Marc-Andre Grondin). He's sensitive sort who is the fourth out of five children in a devoutly Catholic household. Zac wants nothing more than to be popular with his father, but these two always seem at odds with what they want for Zac's life. Realizing that Zac has needs to try and make himself happy first, he escapes through vices like music and youthful rebellion.

In the end C.R.A.Z.Y. presents itself as a look at young person who is just a little different. It's not that Zac doesn't want to fit in, or that he wants to stand from the crowd. He is just someone who is out of step with the world around him. Zac would love for nothing more than for his life to be easy, but for the kind of person that he is he will always find himself against the grain. His life will always be crazy.

No Extras came with this DVD.

Widescreen Version. Presented to preserve the aspect ratio of it's original theatrical exhibition. Enhanced for Widescreen TVs. Director Jean-Marc Vallee has put so much vision into every frame of this film. From his use of ethereal slow motion shots, to the drab darkness he lays on some scenes, it is apparent that that Vallee has concentrated very thoughtfully about every image in this film. This DVD transfer looked really solid on my small TV.

French Dolby Digital 5.1. Subtitled in English. As I spent a lot of this film reading the screen, I couldn't pay as much attention to the audio as I liked to. The soundtrack is what really gives resonance to a lot of the scenes in this film. There is music from David Bowie and the Rolling Stones, and this enabled me to get past the barrier of language and into Zac's head. Even though his growing up experience was different than mine, I was able to key into where he was at emotionally through this soundtrack.

Zac stands on this front cover in front of his family with the letters to this movie hanging above him. The back cover offers up shots from this film, a description of what C.R.A.Z.Y. is about, a cast list and technical specs. This movie looks like it would appeal to fans of glam and classic rock music. My only fear is that this film is so under the radar that that audience might not catch it.

Having never heard of C.R.A.Z.Y. before, I was pleasantly surprised with this film. At first it seemed like another dysfunctional family, indy film (and it is that), but there is just something so winning about Zac's story. He really doesn't want to have the hard time that he's having, but life seems to have dealt him a different hand than the other people around him. This film shows us that struggle but it also shows us that sometimes you need to have a sense of humor about your life.

I most likely would never have seen C.R.A.Z.Y. if I hadn't been given it to review. I am really glad I was because this is another hidden DVD gem that is fueled by it's soundtrack.