FILM: Crazy, Stupid, Love

Cal and Emily Weaver (Steve Carell and Julianne Moore) were your typical couple having a date night, when Emily drops a word-bomb at dessert – she wants a divorce. Cal is numbed by the shock conclusion to their evening. One moment they were talking about sharing a dessert the next she’s talking about sleeping with her work mate, David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon).

Devastated and a little awkward after the settlements, Cal finds himself at a bar, with a watered-down vodka and at the mercy of lady’s man, Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). Teaching him the tricks of the bachelor’s trade, Jacob becomes his Miyagi through bachelorhood. At first, Cal thinks it’s all ridiculous, but as soon as he gets into the swing of things, he finds that all the meaningless one night stands isn’t helping him move on, it’s only keeping him cold in a hot bed of desire.

Trying to be a father and a role model for his thirteen-year-old son, Cal needs to make a choice between moving on and letting go or holding on and fighting for what he once had.

The Story

I have to say, this was one of those movies where I thought it would be easy to determine the ending. At first it was, but every time I thought a character would have a bigger role, they didn’t and every time I thought one person wouldn’t be in the movie for too long, they were always there!

It wasn’t just that characters that surprised me, but how they intertwined with one another. The film resonates with Love Actually and Valentines Day, not in the sense that it’s trying to put as many popular faces in front of an audience in a way that locks them to each other, but rather how the lives of the characters are interlocked with one another - innocently and unexpectedly. At a certain point you sit in your seat thinking, “What? No!!!” – trust me, you’ll know when!

The Cast

Steve Carell and Julianne Moore are just an amazing duo. From the beginning you can feel the detachment between their characters, but you also see Moore’s character trying to hang-on to what they had when they were younger. They have a great parental dynamic as separated parents trying to ease their kids into the early stages of the divorce. Throughout the film there’s a sense that you do want them to get back together but you’re also not sure if that’s a great idea. Carell and Moore just have this great balance that make you believe they could re-do their marriage and fight against the speed bumps, but you can also see that if it doesn’t work out it’s not the end of the world, there’s still a possibility of being friends at the end.

Ryan Gosling was just hilarious in this movie! Suave and clean-cut, he was just a womanizer on a prowl. As Jacob mentors Cal, you can’t help but laugh at Gosling’s ease with insulting Carell’s character and again when it’s beautifully reversed when Jacob seeks Cal’s help later on in the film. But there’s another aspect of Jacob that Emma Stone’s character, Hannah, brings out that Gosling beautifully submits to when Jacob is captivated by Hannah in their second encounter.

Emma Stone is as easy going on film as ever. Her character is strong and smart, but just a little complacent in her relationship. As her best-friend Liz (played by Liza Lapira) tries to push her beyond her “PG-13” living, Hannah is reluctant until she’s pushed to her limits. At this point, Hannah breaks through Jacob’s suave tricks, even if that’s what she wants at that time, and falls into a bed of honesty rather than desire. What’s really great about Stone is her ease in making a romantic moment really comical. She’s mastered the art of comedy and allows usually awkward suggestive scenes to have a lighter aspect – I’m not saying she makes sex look funny, I’m simply saying her diversion in the film was brilliant on her part and excellent in writer, Dan Fogelman's part.

Analeigh Tipton and Jonah Bobo added another great dynamic to the film as the naïve little love struck teens. They're the kids still trying to figure out love from those around them and even attempting to get the love from certain individuals. I love the cat and mouse relationship they have as the Bobo’s character, Robbie, tries to convince Tipton’s character, Jessica, that they’re “soul mates”. Naïve, but really sweet...in a creepy kind of way.

Overall

It’s a great film overall. Lots of laughing and not much of tear jerker. Safe to take you boyfriend to and a great choice if you’re taking your girlfriend out to the cinemas. It highlights a different picture of divorce than that of other films that I’ve seen previously. It focuses on the early stages, the first year actually, so it gives a great insight on how as individuals, Cal and Emily are still in love but that love’s been a little damaged and it takes more than saying I’m sorry to fix everything.

sL Star Rating: 3.5 Stars

Next on sL: Footlose