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Crazy, Stupid, Love
| Released |
23 September 2011 |
| Director(s) |
Glenn Ficarra, John Requa |
Starring
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Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Jonah Bobo, John Carroll Lynch, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon |
| Writer(s) |
Dan Fogelman |
| Producer(s) |
Steve Carell, Denise Di Novi |
| Origin |
United States |
| Running Time |
118 minutes |
| Genre |
Comedy, drama, romance |
| Rating |
15A |
|
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Right formula.
I always think of Steve Carell as an actor that tries too hard. I'm not a fan of the American version of The Office or most of the other films he is in as his performances appear forced. However, the Hollywood star did a lot in this film to make me think otherwise as a natural, believable and often funny display ensure that Crazy, Stupid, Love is a massive hit.
The movie begins with the revelation that Carell's character, Cal, has been told by his wife that she wants a divorce after twenty-five years of what he thought was the perfect marriage and the picturesque life. In a state of ultimate depression, Cal gets wasted at a slick bar every night before smooth-talking hunk, Jacob, (Gosling) takes pity and decides to transform his image. Meanwhile, Cal's thirteen year-old son is in a love affair of his own with a babysitter four years his senior – a teenage girl that, fittingly, has a major crush on Cal himself.
Each character ends up playing an integral part in the other relationships, both for good and bad reasons. The conclusion, while pretty obvious, is not ruined by that fact because this romantic comedy does something that very few have the capabilities of achieving. It grows better and funnier with the addition of each scene.
Additionally, it is not just Carell's execution that deserves plaudits as the star-studded cast each contributed to the final product. Ryan Gosling is continually proving to the viewer that he is in no way a one-trick pony performing his act as a professional player while Julianne Moore is typically reliable as Cal's wife suffering a mid-life crisis.
Crazy, Stupid, Love can be watched by the middle-aged and teenagers alike because there is a love interest story in there for everyone. Of course, there are cheesy moments and the inclusion of Kevin Bacon is a little tedious which perhaps deters it from being one of the all-time great rom-coms, but it is Hollywood after all so some things have to be taken with a pinch of salt. The film won't claim any of the big gongs at, say, the Academy Awards but it is certainly highly recommended here.
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David Caulfield |
