Q&A With Drake Doremus, Writer And Director Of 'Like Crazy'

We’ve been excited about the film Like Crazy since we heard it won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Okay, the brilliant, gorgeous cast doesn’t hurt either (Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, and Charlie Bewley). The film tells the story of Jacob, an American, and Anna, a Brit, who meet and fall in love during their senior year of college and the challenges they face when Anna is banned from the U.S. for overstaying her visa. We saw a sneak peek of the film, which comes out October 28, and it was every bit as beautiful and complicated as we’d hoped.

We had the pleasure of talking with Drake Doremus, the film’s young writer and director, about the film, his love of love stories, and how his generation approaches relationships.

Ypulse: We’ll start with the obvious question: What inspired you to create this story?

Drake Doremus: I wanted to tell a story about a relationship where no one was to blame for what went wrong. This couple is going through an on and off relationship for more than a year, and there are issues that bring them together and pull them apart.

YP: That is one of the aspects of the story that is so quintessentially “Millennial” about the film. This type of long distance, international romance seems to be so common with young people now.

DD: It’s funny because I hadn’t thought about it before I stared working on the film, but when I would tell friends about it, so many had gone through similar relationships. Whether they met through work or through school, everyone had a story about a long-distance love. It seems to be very much a part of this generation.

YP: You use technology in the film both to bring Jacob and Anna together, but also to pull them apart, such as how they choose to text or not to text each other. Can you talk about that?

DD: Technology is so important to this generation and it plays a big role in the film. I wonder what would have happened if they weren’t separated, how much less they would rely on technology to communicate. Instead they fell on the crutch of technology being nine hours apart. It plays a huge part in their relationship deteriorating. Their human connection, and the loss of it, brings them together and pulls them apart.

YP: You portray Jacob and Anna’s relationship as almost childlike. They joke and ride go-carts. What does the film say about young relationships?

DD: It’s their first love, and they’re growing up together, finding friendship and solace in another person. When they’re back together, there’s a sexual component, but they also get to be kids again and exist in a bubble and forget the rest of the world. They lose that when they’re apart, and they struggle with that emotionally and intellectually.

YP: As a young director making films for your generation, what do you think draws Millennials to film, and what do they want to see on screen?

DD: I think they want to see reality more than anything; stories that ring true to them or dissect something they’re into. And they have to be authentic. In terms of independent film, the ones that do well tend to be blatantly honest and don’t pander to the audience.

YP: You feature Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album in the film. It’s a favorite of ours and really seems to resonate with the Millennial generation. Can you tell us about your decision to use it in the story?

DD: For Jacob and Anna, “Graceland” is a special album. They think it’s something different that only they would like, but when they discover that they both love the album, it brings them together. The album was released around the time they were born, so there’s almost a sense of creation about it. The album is also very personal to me and a relationship I had. I didn’t feel the movie worked without the song “Crazy Love.” It arcs the characters. It plays three times in the film as we check in with their relationship. The song stays the same, but they don’t.

YP: There are a lot of nostalgic touches in the film — not only “Graceland,” but also Anna’s handmade books, and Simon reading a newspaper. Why does this generation have such an eye to the past?

DD: There’s definitely a nostalgic reference in the books. Jacob and Anna always feel like they’re going to lose each other so they document their time together to show it’s real and to bring them together again. As for Simon reading a newspaper, he’s such an old-fashioned, classic everyman. He’s not modern, not hip. He’s the kind of guy every woman can appreciate, but Anna needs someone more creative and unique.

YP: You definitely seem drawn to love stories. Why is that?

DD: It’s therapy; I’m working out my own sh*t! I saw The English Patient when I was 12 and was obsessed with it. I love love stories. Exploring love, finding it, having it, losing it, maintaining it… It’s so flawed and imperfect.

YP: Exactly! And in a way this generation seems to shun “perfection” and loves flawed reality, like you mentioned.

DD: Yes, they love drama and imperfection. But monogamy is interesting to explore too — what it means and doesn’t mean to people — but this generation wants to date and experience as much as they can first.

YP: You’re already working on your next film, another love story; can you tell us a bit about that?

DD: The next film deals more with forbidden love, having deep feelings, and holding back. It’s about going through experience of how much you can fight yourself before giving in to your feelings.

YP: Check out the trailer for Like Crazy below.