I Like Movies

In excellent, low-key '90s-based rites-of-passage dramedy "I Like Movies" quirky (to almost 'on the spectrum' level) cinephile teen nerd Isaiah Lehtinen (off-the-scale good) dreams of NYU film school from his nondescript Canadian high school while being painfully condascending to those around him (like pal Percy Hynes White & mum Krista Bridges) before rather idolising Romina D'Ugo, his manager at the video-store job that he loves. Debut writer (and director) Chandler Levack EXCELS with his authentic script of genuine characters - all terrifically performed to give it the feel of "Clerks", but more 'real'. Stars should be born from this wonderful gem.

I found this quirky film a gem. It's authentic, not pretentious.

The main character is wonderfully portrayed - he's lovable, insufferable, a brat, rude - everything that a teenager can be. His relationships with his friends, co-workers and teachers were so real and not contrived a la Hollywood.

Sometimes it goes over the top. Sometimes it's hilarious. It's about the love of movies and teenage dreams of being the next great director.

I give it an 8 because it does have a Canadian feel (a positive thing for me) and it's never boring. I'll remember it the next time I go through Aldershot!

The ending has a happy resolution - our star is growing up!

It's a Canadian comedy-drama set in 2003, primarily in Burlington, Ontario, with a few scenes at the end in Ottawa. It follows a teenager in the last year of high school obsessed with Saturday Night Live and commercial movies but is socially inept.

Lawrence Kweller (Isaiah Lehtinen) is a pudgy, smart-mouthed teenager who attends a large high school in Burlington, Ontario (a suburb of Hamilton, Ontario, on the Toronto side). He lives with his single mom (Krista Bridges); his father's absence is explained partway through the film. His best friend, Matt (Percy Hynes White), and Lawrence spend every Saturday night (Rejection Night) watching Saturday Night Live. They've agreed to produce the school's yearend memory movie but have trouble getting started and get in trouble with their teacher (Anand Rajaram). Nevertheless, Lawrence dreams of getting into the film program at New York University, despite the cost being far beyond his family's means.

The film follows Lawrence's efforts to make money for university by working at the local outlet of a big-chain video store. He becomes enamored with his manager, Alana (Romina D'Ugo), who is attractive but pushing age 30. His friendship with Matt changes because of his work schedule and Matt's decision with an accomplished female classmate (Eden Cupid), who is an experienced film editor. The film climaxes with a crisis at the video store and Lawrence's ultimate post-secondary decision.

"I like Movies" was more drama and less comedy than I expected. The dialogue was well-done, and Lawrence's personality was a teenager with whom you could develop a real love-hate relationship. Isaiah Lehtinen, Krista Bridges, and Romina D'Ugo were excellent. Eden Cupid was outstanding in a minor role. However, I found the film's ending too facile to be believable and the film's opening a bit jarring. The core storyline was good, though Lawrence was more naive about university than someone knowing the details of NYU's film program would be.

This is a charming project in theory, but as the film goes along it becomes harder and harder to like the protagonist. Sure, his dad died, but he's a total jerk to everyone around him without any provocation whatsoever. He should show much more character development much earlier in the movie.

Frankly, i understand the type of stress he's going through, but i don't like the stereotype of a mentally ill person behaving chaotically while everyone around them is trying their best to be nice. This is a hollywood stereotype that basically never happens in real life, and the reality is that people don't keep acting like this unless others are bullying/abusing them, and that's really not happening.

The film in general would be much better if there were real pressing reasons for him to act these ways, because i don't think leaning on/fetishizing teen angst is a good way for the script to fill itself out.

The climax of the film is just a bunch of arguments and bad behavior when it should have been nice, and by the time we get to the uplifting segments. It's too little too late, because the protagonist still has not experienced any character development. The only thing that's changed is his haircut and the people around him, and it's utterly implausible that these pretty girls would be talking to him. This isn't because he's overweight, in fact i think his appearance is generally fine, but his personality in this film is just utter trash.

Another coming of age movie, nothing sensational here, but I found the characters to be way more likeble then in Lady bird or Funny pages.

Amazing detailing for those who pay attention: Canadian lore, movies references, really fitting soundtrack and costumes down to elaborated accessory and so on.

But the thing that earned my 9 stars rating is cast acting. Every one of them, even the smallest roles like school teacher or second guy in the Sequels, are real, not boring, not flat, they are interesting to watch! Such a great job! Definitely should take the Best cast in whatever award they have this nomination.

Isaiah Lehtinen, Romina D'Ugo and Percy Hynes White amazed me, made me do some revaluation of my youth and "moved me, emotionally, which I think is the highest compliment".

That's a lot to get from any movie 👏