Love You Anyway – Brilliant
Director: Anna Matz
Writer: Anna Matz (Screenplay)
Cast: Reign Edwards, Charlie Gillespie, Gillian White, Akira Akbar, Adam Levy, Ryan McCartan, Anna Grace Barlow, Roman Coto
Plot: The evolving formats of home video chronicle Mackenzie’s life from birth to womanhood as she experiences its highs and lows alongside her childhood best friend, Lucas. Over the years, Mackenzie’s struggle with depression worsens and she is forced to find the will to keep fighting alongside the people who love her most.
Runtime: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Love You Anyway starts as we meet Mackenzie and Lucas, two childhood friends. The pair we inseparable through school and sporting life. College brings a new challenge between the friends. Lucas (Gillespie) gets to follow his sporting dreams. Mackenzie (Edwards) finds herself struggling with mental health, in a different college.
We continue to see the lives of the pair. Showing the ups and downs the pair go through, as friends. The friend that both of them need to make it through life’s struggles.
Thoughts on Love You Anyway
Characters & Performances
Mackenzie was a promising athlete until an injury took a year of her career. She struggles with finding herself in life, with college decisions. Showing her mental health getting worse. Battling with depression sending her down addiction. Wanting to figure out everything too quickly, looking to guide others after her struggles. Her friendship with Lucas is the thing that keeps her strong.
Lucas is the best friend since childhood, he got to follow the sporting dream. Something that Mackenzie did get jealous off. He will always be around for her, like she will be for him. They are what keep each other strong through everything they go through.
Reign Edwards and Charlie Gillespie are both wonderful in the leading roles. Both will need to show a full range of emotions they go through in the story and life.
Story
The story follows two lifelong friends that face the struggles of growing up and taking different paths. Proving that they don’t know everything about what is going on in the mindset of the other. Showing they need to be there for each other everyday.
We get a unique style to how the story is told, with a series of handheld videos. Seeing the best and worst of times in their lives. Proving you can see a relationship from the outside, rather than needing to see the little things. The story will address mental health problems people have and shows how together people can overcome them. The movie does feel like ‘Boyhood’ with the recordings of life. Giving the story the authentic feeling it is going for.
Final Thoughts – Love You Anyway is a delightful life drama.
