C.R.A.Z.Y. - List of Awards & Nominations

C.R.A.Z.Y. takes 13 prizes out of 13 nominations at Quebec's Jutra Awards

C.R.A.Z.Y. gets Golden Reel in Canada

C.R.A.Z.Y. leads pack with 12 Genie Award nominations

Vallee's C.R.A.Z.Y. sweeps the board at the Genies

C.R.A.Z.Y. has been awarded with Best Director, Best Script and Best Art Direction at the 43rd Gijon Film Festival. It has also been awarded by the Young Jury Prize for Best Feature Film.

Toronto 2005 - City Award for Best Canadian Film

HK International Film Festival SIGNIS Award: "C.R.A.Z.Y."

Official Selection- Singapore International Film Festival 2006

Genre: Drama
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Starring: Michel Côté, Marc-André Grondin, Danielle Proulx, Émile Vallée
RunTime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films & Lighthouse Pictures
Rating: M18 (Mature Theme)

Opening Day: 15 June 2006

Synopsis :

It's a story of two love affairs. A father's love for his five sons. And one son's love for his father, a love so strong it compels him to live a lie. That son is Zac Beaulieu, born on the 25th of December 1960, different from all his brothers, but desperate to fit in. During the next 20 years, life takes Zac on a surprising and unexpected journey that ultimately leads him to accept his true nature and, even more importantly, leads his father to love him for who he really is. A mystical fable about a modern-day Christ-like figure, "C.R.A.Z.Y" exudes the beauty, the poetry and the madness of the human spirit in all its contradictions.

Movie Review:


The strength in this movie lies in its portrayal of family ties. You'd come to identify certain personae and certain attributes that you're familiar with, like the doting mother who's fairly oblivious to her child's naughty deeds, and always that pillar of strength, the stern but fair figure that the father imposes, yet the chum to the kids, and the various stereotypical siblings like the strong jock, the studious geek and the rebellious troublemaker.

However, although this tale is about the Beaulieu family, the spotlight is heavily focused on the relationships between Zacharie and father Gervais, as well as Zach and his junkie brother Raymond. Spanning over 20 years from the 60s to the 80s, the movie showcases the trials and tribulations this family undergoes during the period, while keeping its attention fixed intensely on the main leads, because the central Zach character, is a peculiar one, one which has many facets that touches upon the various relational dynamics within the family.

Zach was born gifted, or so his mum would like to believe. Born momentarily dead for 3 minutes on Christmas day and dropped as a child, you'd expect him to be wounded, but exactly how? We slowly discover that he's one sexually confused kid, and having this moment of truth thrust upon his parents, changed the dad-son relationship drastically. And it is indeed this theme of probable homosexuality, that makes you wonder if a parent can go from doting to unloving, and at the same time grappling with the fact that the blood bonds which tie, still remain. It is this dilemma and internal tussle, within Zach, and within his parents, that make this movie so compelling to watch.

The official Canadian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2005 Academy Awards, this movie has loads of classical pop tunes from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and the unmistakable Crazy song from Patsy Cline. There are plenty of references to pop culture of those days, and the wardrobe department must have had their hands full in evolving the characters' looks and outfits to reflect the times they're in. The sets were meticulously created, which easily transported you back in time.

There were also many interesting styles and shots peppered throughout the movie which made it very visually appealing, and jokes which helped lighten the mood of this serious-at-times film. While there were many sub-themes like sibling rivalry and parental love explored, they contributed to the run time and the movie's length was somewhat felt, especially the final act. However, its length allowed for strong character acting to permeate from all the lead casts, so though there were scenes which could be shortened to provide an even better pacing to the narrative, the upside is that it made for a deeper understanding of the characters. In particular regard are the actors who played Zach through the various ages, especially Marc-André Grondin with his androgynous mannerisms, and Michel Côté as the head of the Beaulieu household.

As we journey with Zach in his period of self-discovery, and his quest for forgiveness and acceptance, we'll learn if indeed blood will be thicker than water.

Movie Rating:

(A powerful family drama exploring a dominant unconventional theme)

Review by Stefan Shih