Dorathen Better Late Then Never

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

plex I was born in the early 60s and grew up in the 70's during my teen years. As a young man, I loved that time: love was open, recreational drugs were plentiful, the economy was decent, and oh, a lot of chicks didn't wear bras. I have read ( yet cannot confirm) that Dunst has some sort of no-bra policy, but I don't recall her mandate ever being obvious in her other films. In this case, it sort of throws a monkey wrench in the credibility machine. Allow me to explain. If you are a teacher or principal at a high school, a doting FATHER, fellow friend, unknown person you engage in public, or a woman who is hell-bent on judging you who has given birth by your father, I cannot imagine ANY scenario where NO ONE ever makes a comment that this teenager never wears a bra, and on top of that, seemingly never washes her greasy hair. This simply makes no sense to me. She not only goes braless, but also wears cut off t-shirts or shirts that are open on the sides, SO, the look is intentional/deliberate and is accentuated. Kirsten's bulbous CC-cups( just guessing the size) bounces throughout the entire film and no one ever seems to care or even notices the slutty appearance of a character who is only 17-18. Even her gal-pal goes braless in a couple of scenes and in a long segment of the movie, she jokes about her forgetting to wear a top. ( she's wearing a micro bra or bikini AS a top) So, at this point I have to conclude this may be not a mandate by our lead but some sort of fantasy whipped up by one of the producers or the director. In 2001, its entirely inappropriate to unilaterally condone this look for a teenager. Thing is, at the core, its a decent teen-romance film, replete with come cliché's but its cool anyway. We LIKE the characters. There's decent acting chops here, along with marginal writing and production skills. Its a good movie. But there is definitely an intent by whomever, for me to be distracted by bouncing breasts, which ( even though titillating) is wildly inappropriate and unrealistically presented in this context.

stephanlinsenhoff Crazy/Beautiful, originally inspired by Lauren Greenfeld photos 'Fast Forward'. A 'crazy' Malibu daughter of a wealthy congressman and a 'beautiful' first generation Mexican son of a hard-working Mexican-American family: 'Crazy/Beautiful are these two 17-years-students at a high school in Pacific Palisades. Nicole: wild, a drinker, sexually bold, reckless. Without much makeup on her face she gives the impression of being naked and 'ugly'. Without a future as everything has been thrown over board: every possible rule she did not care. Everything lost and the only option the 'nicoledecision' "so what!". But: "I wish I wasn't the child that everybody learned what not to do from." The grade A student Carlos with big dreams for a better barriofuture endures a two-hour bus ride every morning to school. The beautiful Carlos and the crazy Nicole are ready for the mistakes of their first love. Nicole and everybody know: in her sphere are all doomed. Her father warns Carlos: "For your own good, for my piece of mind. Stay away from my daughter. You know, it's a painful thing for a father. I can't help you alone". The fatherless Carlos vs the motherless Nicole. Nicole is the first of them to realize: "I think I'm in love with you, sorry." And later: "There are millions of people in this world, but in the end it all comes down to one. I still panic sometimes, forget to breathe, but I know that there's something beautiful in my imperfections; the beauty that he held up for me to see. The strength that I will never be able to say." And assuring him: "I want to be good for you." But Carlos, son of a poor barrio family, family helped to be something better, has a lot to loose. This the reason why he listens as the fatherless son he is to the congressman's warning. And Nicole knows: "What did he tell you, Stay away from me, the lost cause?" "I just..." answers Carlos. But! Both are beyond the point-of-no-return, following Hollywoods twists and turns. After their split: The worried Carlos fetches her from that wild party. Both are caught in a police control and Nicole delivered at her home. (Stepmom Courtney: "What kind of daughter are you?" Nicole: "Not yours." Courtney: "Thank god for that.") At school the day after she collects her belongings. Carlos sees her with a man. Not her father but an official to escort her to Utah. And Carlos reacts, despite midterm exams, realizing 'his' 17-years-first-love. Their run-away, their talk at the motel and her return home. The schmaltzy ending. The soft kindness of the good-enough-father is unable to set the rule when needed. Nothing else but a fathers obligation. A none-father and a none-husband when needed, the reason that he lost his daughter, the reason for his wives suicide? Instead an institution as step-in-father with official escort: "Why do you hate me so much? How could you tell the only person in the world that I love, that I care about so much, how could you tell him to stay away from me? Do you think that the only thing I'll ever do to someone is screw them up? That I'm not worth loving?" At Carlos sisters birthday party Nicole sees that she is far more poor than the birthday celebrating poor barrio family: "You can be anywhere where when your life begins. You meet the right person and anything is possible." Here, beyond everything: ready for the real. What Crazy/beautiful teaches (eavesdropping) is that the nicolestyle is the only option but not easy. To come to this kind of point-of-no-return and be there as unwanted outcast waiting - waiting for one of the millions. The movie wanted more, but had in mind the PG-13 rating, limited to those over 17. The movie lets us see people and not look at case studies.

VisualAssault Watching this film and then reeding that it barely payed for it self in theaters seemed to me a bit odd 'cos it's not bad at all. Crazy/Beautiful is a refreshing switch from all those stupid and overexploited teen films. The story feels genuine and does without any unnecessary babble. Also the actors give a fairly convincing performance. Kirsten's very charming and the lack of make-up really helps to reveal her beauty. Same goes with Taryn, almost to the point that she nearly steals a few scenes (we no longer see her this way, sadly). A word or two has to be said about the soundtrack: well selected, and nicely accentuating the whole film. All in all Crazy/Beautiful doesn't try to win Oscars, but because of that it does win your heart.

whpratt1 Kirsten Dunst,(Nicole Oakley),"Wimbleton",'04, plays a wild out of control young gal, who's father is a Senator and practically allows her to do anything she wants. Poor Jay Hernandez,(Carlos Nunez),"Hostel",'05, happens to cross paths with Nicole and from then on the heat gets hotter between the two of them. They really fall in love and in one scene almost make love right in front of Nicole's father. Carlos is about to make love with Nicole and he tells her he does not have a condom, so she runs off and gets one, mean time Carolos cools off. If you like lots of funny scenes and two actors who do a fantastic job of acting, this is the film for you.