Not your typical teenage romance flick and not your typical whacked out chick falling for the sensitive sweet guy film. Crazy/Beautiful stars Kirsten Dunst (from Bring It On and Wag The Dog) as Nicole, a well-off teenager that could have everything going for her but just can’t get it together and the zealous good guy, Jay Hernandez as Carlos Nunez. Dunst is amazing in the role of a troubled teenager. She takes everyday normal situations and tweaks the behavior ever so slightly and alas we have borderline schizoid with a self-destructive nature but still well within the scope of lovable. She doesn’t drive a flashy car, wear trendy or pretty clothes and she doesn’t hide her self behind a mask of makeup or hip hair styles, Dunst just lets her vulnerability and overwhelming need for unconditional love hang out there and it isn’t until she hooks-up with Carlos that we see what is truly special about Nicole as it shines through. 

Hernandez is also wonderfully convincing as the self-assured, industrious, prioritized Carlos. In their final year of high school, Carlos has it figured out. He knows what he wants and how to achieve it. His goal is Annapolis and the dream of becoming a pilot. He has never been on a plane before but he is positive this is his future. Carlos also knows how to achieve this goal. He travels by bus two hours every morning to an upper-class school in Pacific Palisades, he studies hard and achieves good grades, he plays on the football team and has already written his congressmen for a letter of recommendation and sponsorship to Annapolis. Nicole on the other hand doesn’t have a future and her family has resigned themselves to this fact. Enough background, lets talk plot.

Dunst meets Hernandez as she is working the chain gang picking up trash on the beach. The next day at school she gets him in trouble with detention and she learns just how serious he is about his future. Instead of going to a party on Friday night, she convinces her best friend Maddy (Taryn Manning) to attend Carlos’s football game. They are wasted but end up driving Carlos home. This is when we learn that Carlos’s mother does not want him seeing any white girls. Later Nicole takes Carlos into her bedroom for sex and he meets her open-minded congressman father Thomas Oakley (Bruce Davidson, X-Men). He suggests Carlos call his office to discuss his future. During the interim Nicole treats Carlos to a private plane ride and he gets his first taste of piloting. Carlos learns that Nicole is very talented in photography and very passionate and spontaneous in everything she does. He also learns this type of behavior comes at a cost. Nicole also discovers how much she still does not fit into Carlos’s world when she crashes a very formal quiensieta (15-year-old) party for the sister of one of Carlos’s friend. She leaves in tears only to call Carlos to come get her. When Carlos has his meeting with Nicole’s father, he tells Carlos the ugly truth about Nicole’s mother, her behavior and how she destroys everything she touches. If he is serious about his future he needs to stop seeing his daughter.

Crazy/Beautiful was directed by John Stockwell and written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. This film does a wonderful job at portraying teenage romance at its best and worst while delivering a poignant message about family and acceptance. Dunst shines in this coming of age movie that does not travel the well-trodden path of past Hollywood angst ridden teenagers. I only wish I could have seen much more the beefy Hernandez. I give Crazy/Beautiful a nine out of ten in the About-Movies.com rating.

Last updated: Saturday, October 28, 2006 05:37:36 PM

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