Crazy Stupid Love (2011)

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)


Wow, what a film that had so much more potential then what the final product was. I think I went into this wanting more of a drama with a romantic angle, than a romantic comedy with some dramatic elements; so it may be more fault of my own than the film's for not living up to expectations.

Don't get me wrong, it was still a reasonably enjoyable film, just some really disjointed moments that I feel detracted from the film rather than add to it.

So what's it about? Well, it is a pseudo-ensemble film about a loveless marriage between Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, their kids, Ryan Gosling's terrible life as a playboy bachelor who just wants a hug, and the peripheral characters loosely connected to one another; somewhere in all that is also Emma Stone. I am avoiding spoilers obviously, but that is the gist of it. Ryan Gosling's character Jacob, essentially serves as foil to Steve Carell's cuckolded Cal Weaver. Oh and pretty much every reason to have Ryan Gosling nude or shirtless is explored.

The film does explore the complex emotions of separation and divorce between a middle aged couple, but skimps on the complex relationships of how separation really affects family.
Instead the film falls into familiar romantic comedy territory, making leaps of logic for the sake of situational irony and comedy. All the drama goes out the window in favour of grandiose scenes of eye-rolling farce.

But I still grudgeonly chuckled, so I guess it wasn't too bad.

The good: First and second acts, where you thought you may have a Love Actually, type Dramedy - Romance. Baby goose will undoubtedly be worth the price of admission alone for majority of people out there (male and female I am sure). Steve Carell's everyman schtick is finely honed and his brief stint with debauchery is sufficiently cathartic for all the pent up frustration he undoubtedly has in his character.

The bad: Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon are wasted here. The flimsy "plot twists" were painful at times, and I am sorry, but the antics of Cal Weaver's son, requires an impossible degree of suspension of disbelief, as there is just no way any remotely normal teenager would do the things he does for "love".

Final thoughts: Watch the film with the expectation of a romantic comedy in similar ilk to any classic Meg Ryan movie, and you may be pleasantly surprised. Go into it with expectations of a smart dramatic Love Actually type flick, and well... just enjoy Ryan's abs.

Add to the Vault? Man I am harsh on movies or what? Unless you are so enamoured by Ryan Gosling that you must own the film, I would say this is suffice as a one off.