IIFF 2007 - CRAZY LOVE review

Cross-cutting between one-on-one interviews, Pugach and Riss are established as a well-to-do ambulance chaser and a vivacious young beauty coming of age, respectively. As Pugach wines and dines Riss, she backs away and he lashes out. Eventually committed to an insane asylum, Pugach tries maintaining contact with his damaged ex-flame, still every bit a beautiful woman but increasingly handcuffed by mental hang-ups related to her assault. Eventually released, Pugach and Riss come together over time and finally marry, living out their days together amid constant second-guessing from family and friends and an occasional explosion of tabloid-worthy behavior from Pugach.

Crazy Love presents a spread of POVs in covering the genesis of the Pugachs’ twisted coupling, but refuses any real investigation of why they’d come back to one another in light of their ghastly past. The film possesses an almost carnival-like atmosphere when the reality seems to be these are, quite simply, very sad people. They have one another and they have their lives back (Burt’s no longer in prison and with the woman he professes to love; Linda’s more empowered and provided for), but after what Pugach did what sort of mindset – on both their parts – could possibly have allowed for a reunion? Unfortunately, no real answers are offered, satisfactory or otherwise.

The assemblage of archival materials cataloging the Pugachs’ saga is impressive, and the faces, accents, and attitudes of those speaking about them expertly establish place and time. Expecting something more in-depth when what we’re being shown is so personal, grisly, and lacking in apparent common sense is maybe asking too much – but then, why are we here at all? The documentary form should cover stories like this – unbelievable, affecting human experiences – but if it doesn’t delve any deeper than Crazy Love does, it all just turns into a classed-up Page 6 piece, the sort that lives for the cruel sensationalism generated by actions like Burt Pugach’s and cares for little else.

Crazy Love still manages to engage the viewer and spins a story you truly have to hear first-hand to believe. For whatever pluses it holds, it still skirts too many significant issues (it barely touches on the accusation, later in life, that Burt abused a woman he was cheating on Linda with) and ends as little more than an episode of “Jerry Springer” sporting better production values. Based on what we do learn about the Pugachs during Crazy Love, it’s clear that had the film worked to dig deeper, what emerged may well have been worth the effort.