Did director Drake Doremus base the film off his marriage and the life of his ex-wife Desiree Pappenscheller? She says there are aspects of the film that are identical to her struggles with immigration and the details of their relationship. She speaks out to Metro about here: http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/article/987932--like-crazy-based-on-a-true-story
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It's really not and while many interviews show that the film was inspired byparticular events from Drake's past and in most he explain involving just one person, I am amazed at the likeness to reality, I would have given him more credit for being able to create around his fascinating story.
I've had the pleasure of being a good friend to Desiree (Doremus / now Pappenscheller) when she lived in London, and also had the "experience" of meeting her then Husband, Drake.
We go back around 6 years from when Desiree was first denied entry to the US and having seen the film last week was shocked as to the extent that real life was simply ripped off without any attempt at change.
Suffice to say the film represents a 99% likeness to the real life events as I understand them to be, the clothes, the artifacts, the locations and ALL the other characters in the films are exact replicas of real life people.
Most startlingly are the mannerisms of Felicity Jones and the degree to which she has been clearly directed to mimic the traits and idiosyncracies of Desiree.
The film is beautiful and portrays Desiree in a great light, but it's a little ironic that so much credit has been given for the films realism, the subtle way that it reveals the tumultuousness of long distance relationships and the techniques for filming.
Al this praise for a film with only a loose outline rather than a script, when it's clear that all Drake did was give strict guidance to the cast on what each and every scene should be, not coming from imagination but memory. The film is extraordinarily realistic, because it is 99% real.
Merely reenacting events like for like, from around 6 years ago, albeit it with some inspired editing, and a great soundtrack has made a compelling and emotional film, but not one with any real imagination or creativity and certainly no integrity.
I've seen material where it's clear Drake has accepted that the film is strongly "inspired" by real life events with one person, perhaps one day he's going to accept that the film is a not a product of inspiration but complete replication.
By they way, I am in the film, I am a group of Desiree's friends in a bar, apparently ignoring the poor Drake as he spends time in London. Bless.
Desiree's visa issues.
http://graphic.pepperdine.edu/news/2004/2004-08-30-stuckstudent.htm
Drake clearly talking about the one person that inspired it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly76tvyVWvc&feature=related
So . . . what you're saying is that the director says this is based on real life but that the film is actually based on real life?
shareNo, what I am saying is the director enjoys telling all that will listen that the film was shot spontaneously and delights in boasting that there was no script and he just "felt" each scene.
He also says that the film was inspired by real life.
All he has done is take every single event that happened in his own life, and scene for scene, without any artistic contribution, merely reenacted each and every event.
I only care because he seems to not have the courage to admit that he's added nothing and insists on talking about the spontaneous nature of filming, when it's actually very planned.
I also care as taking the interesting events of one's former wife, exploiting them for commercial gain, while having no thought as to the drama this may cause her are not the actions of someone with any integrity- artistic or human.
No one ever said you couldn't take your real life and translate it into a good film, and unless you have a very complete diary of your friends' life, all you are is very concerned about your friend and very opinionated.
shareDo you hold a personal grudge against the director? What does it matter, whether he made up the story or lived it? He turned it into a great, universally true love story.
Your criticism seems all the weirder since you were given the chance to appear in the movie.
"We learned more from a three minute record than we ever learned in school"
I don't think they mean't they were in the film but a scene happened to them in real life (in this case Jacob goes to the bar and is ignored by Anna's friends).
But yeah it is a bit odd to just assume that that scene is based on an event from your life. I mean I wonder how many friends of hers she introduced Jacob to through the course of their relationship?
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all
Uhm I have to agree with the person who says they're desiree's friend.
It would piss me off too if people are boasting about creating this amazingly original story when it was just plain what happened.
All of you would be screaming from the rooftops if the story was stolen from someone else, or another film, but if it's his life than it's okay?
So it's not stolen from anyone, but still a lot less original.
Having said that I think I will never know what really happened. So I will just enjoy the movie and leave it at that.
One of the most bizarre posts I've read. So you were given a part in the film, claim to be a friend of the director's wife and also know the director and yet criticize the film for not being "imaginative". Pray tell me what's wrong with making a film based on one's real life experiences ? A story which is based on one's experiences usually has a chance of being more real and believable than something which is made up. That's why beginning writers are told "write what you know". Ultimately, what's important is if the story feels real and if its engaging or not. It doesnt really matter if the events are based on real life or if its just "imagination".
share