In “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” Steve Carrell stars as Cal, a devoted father whose marriage of nearly 30 years falls apart when he finds out his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), cheated on him with a co-worker (Kevin Bacon). As he struggles to adjust to life as a bachelor, Cal meets and befriends a suave ladies man named Jacob (Ryan Gosling) who offers to teach Cal the ins and outs of single life and help him reclaim his manhood.
Thanks to a witty, cleverly structured script, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” stands out from the crowd of romantic comedies (with which it will, nonetheless, inevitably be associated) in offering a rare combination of heartfelt emotion punctuated by genuinely funny moments.
A lot of the success of “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” however, has to do with its rock solid ensemble cast. Carrell (“The Office,” “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) and Moore (“The Kids Are All Right”) are both excellent as a couple whose relationship has slowly deteriorated due to complacency.
Surprisingly, though, it’s the younger cast members who consistently steal the show. Relative newcomers Analeigh Tipton (a former contestant on “America’s Next Top Model”) and Jonah Bobo (playing Cal’s son Robbie without many of the cloying mannerisms characteristic of child actors) come across as surprisingly likable characters even though their own relationship problems seem to practically rival Cal and Emily’s in terms of complexity.
Likewise, Gosling — who, even after an Oscar-nominated performance in “Half Nelson,” is probably best known as Noah from “The Notebook” — impresses once again with his natural charm, but he also displays a previously untapped aptitude for comedic work. Given his combination of dramatic and comedic talent, as well as looks, it’s hard to imagine his star not rising quickly in the next few years as he takes on more mainstream roles.
Perhaps the only thing in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” that could really be called “stupid,” though, was that the filmmakers did not set aside more room for the charismatic redhead Emma Stone (“Easy A”). Her character, although crucial to the interconnected story lines, has by far the least screen time of any of the major characters in the film. In spite of this, she still manages to upstage everyone around her.
Admittedly, there are a few scenes in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” that strain believability. The explanation for why someone like Jacob would take time out of his busy schedule of one-night stands to help a despondent divorcee, for instance, is left pretty vague, and at times the whole premise does feel a little contrived.
Luckily, though, co-directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (“I Love You Phillip Morris”) manage to maintain the film’s momentum from beginning to end, never letting the energy levels dip long enough for the audience to become too critical of minor hiccups in what is otherwise a top-notch script from Disney-Pixar veteran Dan Fogelman (“Cars,” “Tangled”).
Three points for parents
- Don’t be fooled by the trailers. Contrary to what one might think based on the trailers alone, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” does not glamorize the life of a commitment-phobic womanizer. In fact, the heart of the story includes a refreshingly responsible plug for monogamy and marital fidelity.
- Other moral issues. The filmmakers’ borderline glib treatment of a subplot involving Cal’s hormone-driven son Robbie and his obsession with his 17-year-old babysitter, on the other hand, will undoubtedly cause more than a few audience members’ eyebrows to raise disapprovingly — especially in the way it resolves itself at the end of the film.
- Target audience. The main narrative thread (and most of the movie’s 118-minute running time) deals with adults going through midlife crises and making choices that negatively impact both family and friends. As such, the same crowds who enjoyed recent, more lighthearted ensemble rom-coms like “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “Valetine’s Day” will not necessarily appreciate the more “mature” thematic content in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” even though it is frequently presented via laugh-out-loud gags.
A native of Utah Valley and a devoted cinephile, Jeff is currently studying humanities and history at Brigham Young University.