I'm not much of a fan of romantic comedies mostly because filmmakers often rely on cliché formulas and predictable storytelling to produce boring, forgettable movies. But I have a few very good ones in my collection that stand out and can't be considered mediocre. One of such is Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), a movie that leaves you thinking about relationships and the reality of love long after the credits roll. What makes this movie more interesting is its talented ensemble cast.
Written by Dan Fogelman, and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, this romantic comedy stars Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, John Carroll Lynch, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon and other supporting actors to tell a love story worth watching.
Steve Carell plays Cal Weaver, a middle-aged man whose comfortable life falls apart when his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), asks for a divorce unexpectedly. He is shocked because he thought their marriage was fine. Feeling sad and depressed, he goes to a local bar and spends the evenings looking miserable and ranting about his failed marriage. Then he meets Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling), a regular at the bar.
Jacob is everything Cal is not. He is stylish and confident around women and leaves the bar every night with one of them. After watching Cal struggle, Jacob teaches him how to dress, flirt and approach women. This transformation is some of this movies' funniest scenes. Cal starts getting attention again and begins dating. But the more he learns about dating, the more he's weighed down by his failed marriage.
At the centre of this story are other relationships that give this movie more depth. There's Hannah (Emma Stone), Cal's daughter, who is involved in a relationship with a man and this shakes Cal very much. His youngest son who has a crush on his teenage babysitter struggles with his own feelings. As these storylines connect and turns in a complicated mess, Cal must decide whether to save his home or choose another path.
My Review And Rating
Some romcoms make you laugh and forget them quickly while movies like Crazy, Stupid, Love with such a talented cast makes you question what happens when the person you built your life around suddenly stops loving you. The plot is solid and the storytelling is entertaining. I love how this film balances comedy with genuine moments.
The cast makes this movie more interesting than it might have been with a different ensemble in those roles. Steve Carell is naturally funny and though there are funny moments in this film, he does not play Cal as a joke. You can feel his embarrassment and sadness at a failed marriage. Watching him try to rebuild himself is funny and relatable.
Ryan Gosling's Jacob brings an interesting energy to the movie. He's much more than the smooth womaniser the film portrays him to be at the beginning and goes on to show more personality. I enjoyed his chemistry with Emma Stone, reminding me of his role in The Notebook with Rachel McAdams. His scenes with Emma Stone have a natural playful quality and make them a memorable pairing in the movie.
I like that this film also focuses on the importance of dynamism in marriage or relationships. Being in either for a while does not mean a person becomes complacent in nurturing the connection. There is a difference between staying in a relationship because you are comfortable and putting in the work to keep the relationship alive. This movie treats love as messy rather than perfectly organised which fits the title: love is sometimes crazy and stupid.
The humour keeps the heavier parts of this movie from becoming depressing. The awkward dates, embarrassing attempts at flirting and some ridiculous situations made me laugh. This kind of comedy works because the characters take their problems seriously while the audience sees how absurd everything looks from the outside.
The strength of this movie is that it is thoughtful about its characters and allows them to have real feelings. It understands and portrays that romance is not as simple as two people meeting, falling in love and living happily ever after. There are real life issues like insecurity, fear, doubts, and expectations that the people must deal with.
Rating this movie, I'd give it 8 out of 10 stars. Crazy, Stupid, Love is a funny, warm and thoughtful romcom that stays with you long after you've watched it.
All images above are screenshots from the movie
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Rating: 80/100
