MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

by Darryl London

The film I Like Movies is disguised as another coming-of-age comedy/drama film set in the early 2000s but turns out to be anything but that. The movie earned my attention in the opening scenes with Lawrence (Isaiah Lehtinen) and Matt (Percy Hynes White) hanging out at home, clowning around like best friends often do. The early sequences are driven by Murray a. Lightburn’s music, Editor Simone Smith’s creative jump cuts and pacing, and directed by Director Chandler Levack. The combination of the three gave me a good feel of the bond that the two friends shared (I thought).

I was pleasantly surprised to learn the opening scenes were part of a homework assignment that Lawrence and Matt submitted for one of their high school classes aimed at exposing bias in the media. This early revelation gave me a different impression of the film and, as a result, made me more interested in seeing where the story was headed. There was another part of the film that made a subconscious impression on me and subtly disturbed my comfort level in the early sequences, the 4:3 aspect ratio. I was expecting to see a film set in the late 90s – early 2000s and the requisite props, clothing styles, and haircuts, but I was not expecting the 4:3 aspect ratio. It didn’t put me off, but it left a mark on my viewing experience for some reason that I cannot explain.

The story begins with Lawrence and Matt, two high school friends and classmates, screening their homework assignments for the rest of their classmates. This scene promptly identified Lawrence and Matt as two students who are clearly on the outer edge of popularity amongst their peers. Matt is outspoken of the two friends, and he is vehemently passionate about his intention to attend NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. So much so that no other concern runs a close second, including his relationships with his mom and Matt. Any action Lawrence takes is designed solely for his endgame of becoming a Tish alum and filmmaker. His relationships with those around him, his mom, Matt, and his employer, Video Store Manager Alana (Romina D’Ugo) run only as deep as their commitment, cooperation, and support of Lawrence feeding his consumption of film watching and attending NYU’s film school. There is no quid pro quo with Lawrence. In his view, you are either “of use” or no use at all. The central conflict in this story is Lawrence’s inability to see anyone’s needs above his own.

I like Movie is a film with lots of payoffs for the viewer. From the start, you begin to realize that what you think you are getting is in this film is not exactly what you are getting. To say the least, the movie has some surprises for its audience. I appreciate a movie that surprises me. Most often, one surprise per film is a delight. More than one surprise is extremely rare for an experienced movie viewer because most movies and storytelling mediums follow a formula. Plot twists are not a requirement of an excellent film, and plenty of less successful films have more than one surprise or change of direction in their plot. But, when peeling back the layer of a story is done as adeptly as it was in, I like Movies; viewers are in for a nice time. Chandler Levack did a remarkable job of delivering a compelling drama with a serious subject matter in the guise of a coming-of-age comedy/drama. Levack’s story is anything but light and easy, but her writing and directing made the subject matter more than palatable. I like Movies is an exceptional film. It is storytelling at its best that touches on real-life experiences that are very relatable without the crutch of sensationalism. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I’m looking forward to seeing it again.