Movie Review: Crazy Stupid Love

Crazy Stupid Love

PG-13, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed By

Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Written By

Dan Fogelman

Genres

Drama, Romance, Comedy

Main Actors: Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei

Easy on the eyes factor: 8. Yes, the Ryan Goslin factor, but I absolutely love Julianne Moore in everything. And many scenes have very beautiful woman in them.

30 Minute Rule: (Does the movie grab you in the first 30 Minutes): Yes. In a very funny way. I love the way it comes on.

Plot: At fortysomething, straight-laced Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the dream-good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart. But when Cal learns that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his "perfect" life quickly unravels. Worse, in today's single world, Cal, who hasn't dated in decades, stands out as the epitome of un-smooth. Now spending his free evenings sulking alone at a local bar, the hapless Cal is taken on as wingman and protégé to handsome, thirtysomething player Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling).

My Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love is a very smart movie. Each character is carefully sculpted and stands on their own merits. Everyone has their own deep dark flaw and the actors play it to a tee. The subject matter is very easy to relate to and how it's handled is funny in it's own unique way. My one criticism of the film is that it went from super smart and intellectual to hokey and sloppy towards the end. It's almost as if the film makers were running out of time and needed to wrap it up. I'm always keen to that in movies. Does the last 20 minutes flow as well as the first 80? In this movie, I would have to say no. With that being said, the movie was worthy of a nomination for Best Picture from the Golden Globes or the Oscars. That won't happen because those awards are usually reserved for comedy writers such as Woody Allen, Norman Jewison, Penny Marshall or Ron Howard.

Ryan Gosling was one of the best playboys that I've ever seen in a movie and the way he "trained" Steve Carell's character was flawless, yet brutal. And the line; "Let's get outta here" has a new found meaning. Julianne Moore was beautiful as usual and she played her role with such sincerity; being torn between being in love with her high school sweetheart while at the same time being bored out of her mind in her life. The breakthrough role was by actor Jonah Bobo who played Steve Carell and Julianne Moore's son. Emma Stone is coming into her own. After a very funny and smart leading role in the movie "Easy A" it seems that she carried that role over into Crazy, Stupid, Love and it worked well. She shows her diversity in "The Help" (which I will review later).

Rating: 8 of 10 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥