I Like Movies Review: A Love Letter to Cinema!

It goes without saying that everybody LIKES movies. It is a pastime that everyone participates in, whether that is going to the movie theater with friends and family or enjoying a movie night at home. Even if one sees a movie once a month or once a day, “I like movies” is a general statement we can all get behind. When that “like” turns to “love” is a pivotal point in a cinephile’s life where a general joy turns into a hobby that holds a special place in our lives. As any person who has a love for something, this interest turns into an “expertise” of sorts, or so we, and our title character Lawrence Kweller, like to think.

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Lawrence (Isaiah Lehtinen), is obsessed with movies. He needs movies like people need air to breathe. In his senior year of high school his dream of attending NYU film school became the center of his life. So much so, he decides to get a job at his favorite local video store to make money for the $90,000 tuition before even getting accepted. What Lawrence sees as an opportunity to talk about movies all day, make enough money to go to NYU, and find his “real friends,” quickly turns into reality as Lawrence must navigate adolescence and learn the hard truths about life and the fantasy he has in his mind about the film world.

Writer and director Chandler Levack takes her job in this film in the same way she develops Lawrence as a character. Just because you do not have the biggest budget and NYU “elite” education doesn’t mean you can’t make a film that moves audiences or become an accomplished filmmaker. Lawrence’s hesitation to go to any Canadian film school directly mirrors his vision of success, which is attending a prestigious film university. What he doesn’t realize that Levack is able to highlight beautifully is with a vision and a passion, especially in the film world, higher education doesn’t necessarily equal success. Anybody can be moved by cinema of any caliber, which goes to show why so many people have been drawn to I Like Movies.

The film’s exploration of a young man who must step outside of his cinema loving bubble and comfort zone to experience those around him in a different light is done sweetly. Once it becomes apparent that those who do not know as much about film as Lawrence aren’t less than him, the story that unfolds is one that speaks true to any cinephile and adolescent struggling to live with themselves.

Lawrence’s character is written in a way that balances the hilarious and insufferable. It becomes difficult at times to fully back up his character because, when all is said and done, tragedy never gives anyone the right to be dismissive and rude to others. However, there is development that causes us to empathize with how he must feel even if it does not cause us to fully sympathize with his character all the time.

One of the strongest aspects of I Like Movies is the balance of the fantasy and joy of film as an outsider mixed with the reality on the inside, which is explored with the character of Alana (Romina D’Ugo), his video store manager. This also is able to highlight the positions and power dynamics of genre in an industry as well as the foreseeable futures of those looking to break in.

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Romina D’Ugo’s performance is impeccable and her handle on the character allows her to deliver lines that could have fallen flat but is elevated by her power and understanding of the character. As most side characters are, she is the standout in the film and a part of the heart that shines through.

I Like Movies is sure to make all cinephiles reflect on their own love for movies and how taking a step outside will always bring us back to reality. What we see on Twitter and Letterboxd is such a small portion of the world out there. If we step outside, good people will embrace us for our passions just as we should embrace them for theirs but at the end of the day we can all agree the most personal question we all must answer in our lives is “what is your favorite movie?”

‘I Like Movies’ Rating – 3.5/5

Follow Steph (the Author) on IG – @cinemasteph_7