Crazy Stupid Love (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
'Crazy, Stupid, Love' (directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa, I Love You, Phillip Morris) is a little crazy, a little stupid, & I think I loved it. There are plot contrivances. But I was taken with it's many pleasures. The film begins with straight-laced Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) being told by his high school sweetheart & wife of 25 yrs., Emily (Julianne Moore), that she has slept with a coworker (Kevin Bacon), & wants a divorce! Shell-shocked, and with his life unraveling before him, Cal moves out of his upper-middle class home immediately & starts spending his nights in a cocktail lounge; sulking & sipping on vodka cranberries. He's never dated (having been with his partner since age 15), so he has absolutely no idea how to approach women.
Entering the story is lady's man, Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling), who decides to take the pathetic, mildly drunk, perpetually un-cool Cal under his wing. In an effort to help Cal get over Emily & start his life anew, Jacob opens Cal's eyes in a big way (whirling him through a clever make-over montage that includes): approaching women, flirting with them, ditching vodka cranberries for more manly drinks, & wearing hipper clothes that actually fit him {haha}. Cal's first score is with a wild, nymphomaniacal 8th grade teacher named Kate (Marisa Tomei), but she's only the first of many. Cal also becomes involved (somewhat disconnectedly) in a romantic triangle featuring his 17 yr. old babysitter & his 13 yr. old son. The girl harbors a secret crush on Cal while his son's feelings for her are well out in the open. Meanwhile, though Jacob is a playboy, he desires a sassy redhead (Emma Stone) who's playing hard to get. Romantic entanglements ensue ... big time.
'Crazy, Stupid, Love' follows a standard romantic comedy trajectory. There are meet-cutes. There are contrivances. There are dumb-dumb moments. There are some highly amusing stretches (including a fantastic screwball sequence that reveals some "twists"). There are exhilarating highs, devastating lows. A few 'aww' moments. All ends well. And dispersed throughout this standard rom-com mold are genuine moments of insight & charismatic turns by a great ensemble cast. In other words, despite the script's unremarkable outline, the cast rises above the material & makes the film much better.
'CSL' offers a few messages to its audience. 1) The idea of soul mates. Despite Cal's make-over & his plethora of bedroom conquests, he can't seem to shake the one who took over his heart at age 15 (whether she cheated on him/wants a divorce, or not). And though Emily slept with her co-worker, she didn't fall out of love with her soul mate. But do they want to work hard to rekindle what they once had? 2) The film shows that it takes more than 'love' for a relationship to work. Without passion & incentive ... it doesn't matter. I also like that the demographics of the romantic scenarios are so balanced. Cal & Emily are 44 yrs. old. Jacob & Hannah are in their 20's/30's. The teen characters have their own subplot. So that age variance is refreshing to see. And 3) the film gives women a look into the mind of a man; particularly how confident males operate in a bar/lounge setting.
Who knew that Ryan Gosling could be so fun & cunning? I really dug his chemistry with Steve Carell. And there is real magnetism btwn. him & Emma Stone (who matches Gosling's charisma). I loved their 'seduction' scene. And on a side note, I have such a crush on Emma. Steve Carell really impressed me; because while he made me laugh with his usual brand of goofy self-deprecations, he also convinced me when sad, naive, & in-over-his-head. He's a great, sympathetic center. Julianne Moore (who looks great) turns in an alternately delightful & regret-laden performance. And Marisa Tomei is a real hoot.
'Crazy, Stupid, Love' could have been edgier in its execution of the highs & lows of romantic entanglements. I wish more time could have been spent with Jacob/Hannah. And while I liked how the plots play out, the film ends on a, perhaps, too-mushy note; given how sharp most of the film had been up to that point. But I don't want to harp on negatives. 'CSL' makes the most of its many storylines. It has a lot of heart. It captures the complications, humor, & romance in relationships. And the realistic, relatable emotions that the actors convey are integral to this film's success as an enjoyable, feel-good summer diversion.
Entering the story is lady's man, Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling), who decides to take the pathetic, mildly drunk, perpetually un-cool Cal under his wing. In an effort to help Cal get over Emily & start his life anew, Jacob opens Cal's eyes in a big way (whirling him through a clever make-over montage that includes): approaching women, flirting with them, ditching vodka cranberries for more manly drinks, & wearing hipper clothes that actually fit him {haha}. Cal's first score is with a wild, nymphomaniacal 8th grade teacher named Kate (Marisa Tomei), but she's only the first of many. Cal also becomes involved (somewhat disconnectedly) in a romantic triangle featuring his 17 yr. old babysitter & his 13 yr. old son. The girl harbors a secret crush on Cal while his son's feelings for her are well out in the open. Meanwhile, though Jacob is a playboy, he desires a sassy redhead (Emma Stone) who's playing hard to get. Romantic entanglements ensue ... big time.
'Crazy, Stupid, Love' follows a standard romantic comedy trajectory. There are meet-cutes. There are contrivances. There are dumb-dumb moments. There are some highly amusing stretches (including a fantastic screwball sequence that reveals some "twists"). There are exhilarating highs, devastating lows. A few 'aww' moments. All ends well. And dispersed throughout this standard rom-com mold are genuine moments of insight & charismatic turns by a great ensemble cast. In other words, despite the script's unremarkable outline, the cast rises above the material & makes the film much better.
'CSL' offers a few messages to its audience. 1) The idea of soul mates. Despite Cal's make-over & his plethora of bedroom conquests, he can't seem to shake the one who took over his heart at age 15 (whether she cheated on him/wants a divorce, or not). And though Emily slept with her co-worker, she didn't fall out of love with her soul mate. But do they want to work hard to rekindle what they once had? 2) The film shows that it takes more than 'love' for a relationship to work. Without passion & incentive ... it doesn't matter. I also like that the demographics of the romantic scenarios are so balanced. Cal & Emily are 44 yrs. old. Jacob & Hannah are in their 20's/30's. The teen characters have their own subplot. So that age variance is refreshing to see. And 3) the film gives women a look into the mind of a man; particularly how confident males operate in a bar/lounge setting.
Who knew that Ryan Gosling could be so fun & cunning? I really dug his chemistry with Steve Carell. And there is real magnetism btwn. him & Emma Stone (who matches Gosling's charisma). I loved their 'seduction' scene. And on a side note, I have such a crush on Emma. Steve Carell really impressed me; because while he made me laugh with his usual brand of goofy self-deprecations, he also convinced me when sad, naive, & in-over-his-head. He's a great, sympathetic center. Julianne Moore (who looks great) turns in an alternately delightful & regret-laden performance. And Marisa Tomei is a real hoot.
'Crazy, Stupid, Love' could have been edgier in its execution of the highs & lows of romantic entanglements. I wish more time could have been spent with Jacob/Hannah. And while I liked how the plots play out, the film ends on a, perhaps, too-mushy note; given how sharp most of the film had been up to that point. But I don't want to harp on negatives. 'CSL' makes the most of its many storylines. It has a lot of heart. It captures the complications, humor, & romance in relationships. And the realistic, relatable emotions that the actors convey are integral to this film's success as an enjoyable, feel-good summer diversion.