C.R.A.Z.Y.

265

127 minutes – Drama, coming-of-age,
Language: French
Release date: May 27, 2005
Canadian distributor: T.V.A. Films

Set in QuĂ©bec, C.R.A.Z.Y. is, at its heart, a family saga that spans the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. The story revolves around the Beaulieu family and specifically Zac, or Zachary, who is born on December 25, 1960 the fourth of a family that will eventually have 5 sons. C.R.A.Z.Y. stars Michel CĂ´tĂ© and Danielle Proulx. It also stars an incredible soundtrack. CĂ´tĂ© plays Gervais Beaulieu, an old-fashioned, loving father. The story is based in part on the memoirs of co-writer François Boulay, who grew up with four brothers and a father who couldn’t accept his homosexuality. Director Jean-Marc VallĂ©e has mixed in a lot of his own personal life too and even takes a minor role in the film. For example, just like the character Zachary, VallĂ©e was born with a discoloured lock of hair. His mother believed it meant he had a gift from God. Which is maybe why he ended up making movies. C.R.A.Z.Y. has been described as a combination of a large commercial movie, and a small character-driven film. While it may be character-driven it is also driven by a soundtrack which includes some terrific music. Music by The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Pink Floyd and others. This has been an unfortunate trend in movies that started with The Big Chill. It’s almost impossible to think of that film without beginning to sing the opening verse of “I Heard it Through The Grapevine.” While Big Chill used music brilliantly, in far too many cases since then movies with thin plots and thinner characters have used music to the point where you are forced to conclude the only reason the move got made was to generate soundtrack sales. Luckily that doesn’t happen here. In the end C.R.A.Z.Y. is a large “little” film that tells a touching coming-of-age story. It deserves your attention.

In September of 2005, C.R.A.Z.Y. was selected to be Canada’s entry in the Best Foreign Film category at the Academy Awards. Northernstars.ca chose C.R.A.Z.Y. as one of its Top 10 Canadian Films of the Decade in December of 2009.

Trailer and poster courtesy of TVA Films.
Also see: Turn and Face the Strange: Jean–Marc Vallée’s C.R.A.Z.Y.

C.R.A.Z.Y., movie, poster,

Crew:

Producer:

Pierre Even
Jean-Marc Vallée

Director:

Jean-Marc Vallée

Screenwriter:

François Boulay
Jean-Marc Vallée

Cinematographer:

Pierre Mignot

Editor:

Paul Jutras

Art Director:

Patrice Vermette

Costume Designer:

Ginette Magny

Cast: Roles:

Michel Côté
Marc-André Grondin
Danielle Proulx
Pierre-Luc Brillant
Émile Vallée
Mariloup Wolfe
Jean-Louis Roux
Francis Ducharme
Sébastien Blouin
Hélène Grégoire
Johanne Lebrun
Maxime Tremblay
Jean-Marc Vallée
Alex Gravel
Félix-Antoine Despatie
Michel Laperrière
Anik Vermette
Claude Gagnon
Natasha Thompson
Paule Ducharme
Élizabeth Adam
Maxime Le Flaguais

Gervais Beaulieu
Zachary Beaulieu (age 15-40)
Laurianne Beaulieu
Raymond Beaulieu
Zachary Beaulieu (age 6)
Brigitte (age 14-18)
Old Priest
Paul (age 16-22)
Antoine Beaulieu (age 12-14)
Madame Chose
Doris (age 21-29)
Christian Beaulieu (age 20-27)
Young Priest
Antoine Beaulieu (age 20-26)
Yvan Beaulieu (age 13)
Psychologist

Voice of Zachary Beaulieu
Michelle (age 15-21)
Tante Diane
Brigitte (age 6)
Patrick