Film Review: "C.R.A.Z.Y" (2005)

This award-winning film tells the story of Zachary, the fourth child in a middle-class family of five boys as he grows up in Quebec. Essentially, what this film is about is Zachary's fight to accept his burgeoning homosexuality, and, in turn, how his family reacts to that.

The vestiges of the Duplessis years and the inherent Catholic flavour of middle-class Quebec are also woven into the family's tapestry as the tension between religious tradition and secularism cloud the struggle between generations.

"C.R.A.Z.Y." drags at times, but strong performances pull it above your regular critically acclaimed navel-gazing fare.

The major upside of the film is in how it illustrates the necessity of, and difficulty with, accepting your child for who they are, which I'm sure can be seemingly impossible for parents at times. In the end, "C.R.A.Z.Y" demonstrates how family is at once our greatest challenge, yet, with persistence and acceptance of both others and of self, also our greatest reward.

Overall rating: 6/10