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Sunk deep in a 70s groove, C.R.A.Z.Y. sees teenage Zachary (Marc-André Grondin) going through one of those phases as he struggles to deal with his oddball Catholic family and his own burgeoning sexuality. Not for the first time, glam rock androgyny is used to underscore confused sexual yearnings and twinned with Zachary's religious upbringing, it could have been a case of seen it all before. But a fresh vibe hums throughout that, despite the film's faults, keeps things rocking along.

Zachary was born on Christmas Day 1960, a fact that tightens the film's religious themes. But his mother (Danielle Proulx) is convinced he shares the Saviour's healing touch and while this prompts a neat running gag, mostly it simmers in the background. More pressing is Zachary's deteriorating relationship with his doting father (Michel Côté). Forcing himself to like girls, Zachary tries to regain his father's adoration by doing the right thing but instead becomes tortured and rebellious, eventually coming to blows with his junkie older brother Raymond (Pierre-Luc Brilliant).

"SNAPPY VISUAL STYLE"

Events drag on and the film could have survived losing 20 minutes, not least a contrived episode in which Zachary literally follows in the footsteps of Christ, but even then there's a colourful energy that's hard to ignore. Jean-Marc Vallée's advertising background and Paul Jutras' creative editing result in a snappy visual style. But what really stand out are the weird details - the suggested psychic link between mother and son, the sage old Tupperware lady - that form the rich texture of family life. Definitely more than the sum of its parts.

In French with English subtitles.