The independent Canadian film “I Like Movies” follows a high school cinephile, Lawrence, played by Isaiah Lehtinen, as he deals with graduating high school and planning his future around wanting to be a filmmaker. This film presents itself as any other indie movie made by a cinephile, using the main character as a self-insert, making the audience of fellow cinephiles feel special by seeing a main character they relate to. However, the film calls out his narcissistic tendencies, self-pity and general selfishness, holds the main character accountable and treats him as though he isn’t the main character. This unravels one of arguably the worst features of most films; the very act of centering films around one person deemed more special and important than the other characters can inadvertently encourage selfishness in real life. It can easily give audiences the impression that this is a normal approach to the world outside of films.
We see this selfishness in Lawrence. As a young man obsessed with films, he spends more time watching movies than he does with other people. This harms him and those around him because he seems to have developed a film-esque approach to life, where he views himself as a main character — someone more interesting, special and important than those around him. This is seen clearly with his approach to his best friend Matt, whom he claims is a “placeholder” as Lawrence plans to go to NYU and make all new friends. Similarly, he treats his mother as though she has no life outside of him and his needs, insisting she doesn’t mind picking him up from work at two in the morning, because it “makes her feel useful.”
Just about everyone in his life allows his behavior to persist, albeit with some limited pushback, until he gets a job at his local video rental store. His boss, Alana, played by Romina D’Ugo, finally holds him accountable. Alana works as an antithesis to Lawrence. She claims to hate movies; meanwhile he’s constantly raving about his love for films. Alana is more experienced in the film industry than he is, and her experience is one of being taken advantage of, betrayed and hurt, so much so that her love for films and acting was destroyed. She eventually yells at Lawrence for being as selfish as he is, being brutally honest with him about his behavior and reality. She tells him that the world is made for people like him and he acts like he has it so hard, while someone like her, who had actual promise and talent, is limited because she’s a woman. This scene is a microcosm for what makes this film special in that even in her rage and relatively one-sided take on Lawrence, the viewer is made to understand that ultimately there’s nuance. It’s true that Lawrence wants to wallow in self-pity and excuse his poor behavior and he will have an easier time in the film industry than Alana. At the same time, her limiting his entire existence and all of his feelings to the privilege he has is unfair, as he struggles in other areas, which shouldn’t be ignored or erased.
Ultimately, the film is very reasonable about all of its characters. Lawrence and his mom reconcile, focusing on their love despite their many arguments. Lawrence and Matt do not magically become best friends again just because Lawrence apologized (which would have told the audience that a main character can get away with being a jerk as long as they’re sorry). Lawrence doesn’t end up getting into NYU and he doesn’t prove he’s better than everybody else.
Lawrence’s progress is apparent by the very end of the film, when he unintentionally meets with Alana again and asks for her advice. He has a conversation with her that isn’t about him. In the final scene, he’s at university and he asks others questions about them, as opposed to gearing conversations only towards himself and his interests. This is crucial for somebody who had been essentially obsessed with himself for most of the film, showing no care or interest in anyone else, just pitying himself for feeling alone.
Lawrence’s development is important because it’s reminding audiences to do the same, rather than continuing a cycle of film watchers seeing deeply flawed main characters get what they want. Lawrence doesn’t have a happy endingbecause he suddenly becomes perfect. He isn’t allowed to continue acting as though he’s better than everyone else. Instead, viewers get the message to engage in the world and with others in a new way.