TIFF 2022: ‘I Like Motion pictures’ is a Good ‘Movie Bro’ Coming-of-Age Movie
by Alex Billington
September 19, 2022
I do not simply like films, I love them! For those who additionally love films as a lot as I do, then you definately’re most likely conversant in the “movie bro” – a nerdy dude who’s so completely infatuated with cinema that is all he can discuss or take into consideration. (Here is two good articles about them: on No Movie College or Little White Lies.) Movie bros may be discovered wherever and all over the place, often lurking in varied darkish corners of the web, ready to slip into some girl’s DMs the second she mentions David Fincher or Punch Drunk Love. Remarkably, there is a new movie on the Toronto Movie Competition this 12 months known as I Like Motion pictures, and it is an ungainly coming-of-age drama a few “movie bro” from Canada. It is not denigrating movie bros, or turning them into somebody to chuckle at in a film, it is really a remarkably empathetic and warm-hearted movie in regards to the challenges of rising up as a nerd and rising into your self. It simply so occurs to be a few movie bro, and it additionally simply so occurs to be one of many gems of this 12 months’s TIFF line-up. I liked watching this and I hope it finds an even bigger viewers.
I Like Motion pictures is written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Chandler Levack, making her function debut. There’s even a joke within the movie about how the “movie bro” primary character, Lawrence, would not wish to be often known as a “Canadian filmmaker” as a result of, c’mon, what number of iconic Canadian filmmakers are you able to title? However that is the joke, as a result of his mother tries to remind him of that one Cronenberg man. (To not point out: Jason & Ivan Reitman, Denis Villeneuve, James Cameron, Jean-Marc Vallée, and so on.) Lawrence, performed by Isaiah Lehtinen, is the epitome of an obsessive movie nerd – he cannot cease speaking about obscure artwork home movies or that Punch Drunk Love is the best movie of all time, or this filmmaker, or that filmmaker, or no matter it’s. Actually, PTA’s 2002 movie with Adam Sandler is the one most frequently introduced up – it takes place in 2002 as he cannot cease speaking about it opening in theaters. His greatest good friend tolerates his nerdiness, as a result of he enjoys films too, however not many others can stand him. He tries to get a job on the native video rental retailer (primarily so he can get free leases) and likewise awkwardly befriends the supervisor – a lady named Alana performed by Romina D’Ugo.
This movie actually took me again. As quickly because it began, I felt like I used to be at Sundance 2007 yet again. There’s an genuine vibe, together with a barely classic 2002 aesthetic, that makes the expertise of watching this movie really feel such as you’re again in that point once more. I liked every part about this. Utterly. It is a movie bro coming of age Canadian indie that completely balances the nostalgia and homage and mockery. That includes profoundly sincere filmmaking, but it surely’s additionally so empathetic and heartfelt and understanding along with the brutally sincere comedy about this geek and his obsession with cinema. I can recognize that Lawrence is flawed and would not fairly get it and is usually an asshole however is not made out to be this character we should always hate or something. He is flawed like all of us, he simply loves films a lot he has no concept methods to join with the actual world or different folks that do not love films as a lot as he does. All of that is dealt with so warmly and so optimistically, as if he’ll study to be higher as he grows up and we may be comfortable that he’ll discover his place. I would completely discuss movies with Lawrence anytime, though we might most likely disagree on half of them however nonetheless.
Levack completely nails all of the nostalgic components – completely capturing what it was wish to be a nerdy teenager right now within the early 2000s, from all of the subway sandwiches, to the small print within the video retailer, to watching SNL each weekend with your folks. The bit about “video shops are a rising trade” is hilarious and a pleasant zinger. I’ve to say this to not elicit comparisons however to point it deserves to face side-by-side with one other geek traditional – I Like Motion pictures is pretty much as good as Clerks. It is that sort of immediately beloved, movie competition debut that connects again to a time lengthy misplaced rising up with video shops and DVD gamers. It may be the following technology’s Clerks, an outstanding movie that can make you chuckle but in addition remind you there is a bit extra to life than simply geeking out about every part. Or not? Finally it appears the lesson that Lawrence must study is to cease being so obsessed and to work on having actual conversations that are not about films. There’ll all the time be new films to get pleasure from, there’ll all the time be extra movie bros to make you roll your eyes & chuckle.
Alex’s TIFF 2022 Score: 9 out of 10
Observe Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
