Film Obsession Meets Growing Pains in Dramedy ‘I Like Movies’

There should be a study done to figure out why high school is the worst. We need to observe the kids in the hall, the food they eat, and the conversations they have to get to the bottom of this centuries-long epidemic. Is it in the tap water they drink, the school assemblies they sleep through, or laminated floors and terrible fluorescent lighting? One may never know. 

The film I Like Movies follows Canadian teenager Lawrence (Isaiah Lehtinen) just before he is set to go to university. As the title suggests, he loves movies. In the moments he’s not renting scores of film offerings from the early aughts, he watches Saturday Night Live with his best (and, maybe, only) friend Matt (Percy Hynes White; Wednesday) and dreams of attending NYU Tisch School of Art to become a filmmaker. Before he can head to the Big Apple, he works a job at the local video store to save money for tuition. The video store’s manager, Alana (Romina D’Ugo), takes a liking to him, and hijinks ensue. 

I Like Movies has comedic elements that work, but the film holds deeper emotional weight. The TIFF poster of the film is the video store crew all flipping the bird while the film’s official poster shows Lawrence sitting criss-cross applesauce in the video store, staring curiously into the distance. These posters may give the impression we have a throwback to 2000s teen romps, but you’d be mistaken. Lawrence and his mother Terri (Krista Bridges) are constantly at odds as they navigate the death of Lawrence’s father. Also, Lawrence and Matt’s friendship is pushed to its limit when Lawrence hints that their friendship will not last when he leaves for New York. I Like Movies pulls no punches to show us the numerous ways how teenage boys are loathsome human beings. 

I’m not fully sure we are meant to like Lawrence as much as we are to experience his painful exit from childhood. The barbs he has for his friends, mother, and the 2001 animated film Shrek are painful to experience. We are meant to like the people within his universe and be on their side when he continually disappoints them. With each confrontation or dismissal, we should be on their side (mostly) and not our protagonist. Lawrence has little regard for the people around him while centering his thoughts and feelings at every turn. Because of this, you will either empathize with Lawrence’s awkwardness and anxiety or long to be on Matt and Lauren P’s (Eden Cupid) budding love journey.

Regardless of your feelings about Lawrence, the performances of I Like Movies are distinct and stellar. Isaiah Lehtinen fills the Lawrence character with a painful familiarity of pesky film bros who think they are always the smartest person in the room. What makes his performance special is he maintains the dexterity of being the absolute worst while desperately aching to move beyond his limitations. The line “It is so depressing to know that I have to go through the rest of my life as… just… me” will cut deeply for, sadly, far too many. Acting is in the eyes and Lehtinen’s leading debut shows a deep talent that should entertain for years to come. Romina D’Ugo, as Alana, also stands out with a sharp tongue, biting personality, and sageness as she takes Lawrence under her wing. 

For film nerds, there will be plenty of Easter eggs and references to films of yesteryear. Writer and director Chandler Levack (who, according to her Twitter bio, loves Cameron Crowe) crafts a solid feature debut with a sizable amount of humor and heart. While I Like Movie does explore topics and characters we’ve watched before, it’s a good thing to watch talented people tell stories. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars