CRAZY, STUPID LOVE

This week, while in LA, I saw Crazy, Stupid Love. This was a movie I had been itching to see since the previews were released some time ago. Crazy, Stupid Love starring Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. My review.
By Pam Quinn (Writer)

 Crazy, Stupid Love is a romantic comedy about several people struggling to find satisfaction in their current romantic life. Julianne Moore: stuck in a marriage that has lost it’s spark, Emma Stone: linked to a safe, passionless boyfriend, Steve Carell: recently separated from his wife, trying to re discover the man he used to be and Ryan Gosling: teaching him how.
Ryan Gosling plays a womanzing, charming, seemingly confident man who hangs out at the same bar every night and picks up several of the same kind of women. After witnessing a pathetic Steve Carell forcing his troubles all over the place to uninterested parties, Gosling decides to lend a hand to this poor man who is screaming for a makeover. Carell accepts Gosling's dating tutelage, being that he hasn’t been in the dating scene for… well, forever. He’s only been with one woman his entire life, his high school sweetheart Julianne Moore. The chemistry between Gosling and Carell is pretty great. The man Carell turns into (or rediscovers) makes you proud as an audience member. With Gosling’s character getting thrown for a loop, hitting on a woman unlike any of the other’s he’s ever seduced (Emma Stone) and Carell’s character fighting for his ex wife with a new and improved approach, the film has you in it’s crazy, stupid grasp. Crazy being awesome and Stupid being… just that… stupid.
I’m pretty torn with this movie. There were some really wonderful, beautiful moments spread through out, but in addition, there were times I grabbed my hair and said “No… No… No…come on!” as other moments turned out to be predictable and just plain unbelievable and over the top. The parts that were good were SO good and the parts that were stupid were… pretty stupid.

The two who stole the film were Carell and the actor playing his 13 year old son who spends the film fighting for the love of his 17 year old babysitter.  Every time this kid was on screen, I felt my heart melt. That goes for Carrell too. What CAN’T he do? He has a way to make you feel for the average man that you just don’t see too often. It's subtle and it's effective. I think that’s one of the main things that I loved about Michael Scott. No matter how many awful, idiotic and ignorant things that guy did… you still found yourself on his team. Cause he made you feel for him so often.
Crazy, Stupid Love… definitely see it. But maybe on Net Flix.

Oh yeah, Kevin Bacon and Marissa Tomei are in it too…

 

Comments

[Dan O.]

Good Review! Overall, the film is too conventional for my liking. It needed to be sharper, wittier, and funnier. But for average summer fare, it's okay. It's far from perfect and runs on the long side, but rom-com and chick flick lovers will likely be satisfied. Check out my review when you can please!

[Pam Quinn]

Thanks DAn! I saw it again recently and I really liked it the second time.

[air jordans shoes]

I really, really enjoyed this. The humor works brilliantly, and the animation is much better than I had imagined. The way you have “blended” (hehe) it all together makes this look like a solid, whole product, as good as any Pixar short. Probably better. But then again: That’s my opinion.
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[Belstaff Coat Sale]

I just sent this post to a bunch of my friends as I agree with most of what you’re saying here and the way you’ve presented it is awesome.

[Lucas]

Plenty of teenage girls dolevep crushes on older family men that's not unbelievable. She even makes a remark about his relationship with his kids how of all the kids she babysits, they're the only ones who wait up for their dad to come home. Tells me that sheisn't drawn to him for looks, but for what his is as a person.As I mentioned, Emily is going through a time of restlessness and feeling mixed up. Her relationship with David Lindhagen (gotta love that name) isn't supposed to be doleveped it's something impulsive she did to rebel like getting a tattoo, but with spooning after. She knows she wants something different than what she has with Cal, but doesn't know *what*. Thus Lindhagen and we don't get dolevepment on that relationship because it isn't necessary.The lust/love differential is all in there. Like I say dude just come back to it sometime.

[David]

I really dug this film, and it's for the same resonas you raise. Though I'm between the Robbie and Jacob age bracket, I felt like I could relate to each of the male characters. Even Cal's. I loved the way the stories came together (hilarious) and there were several touching scenes. I enjoyed the kiddies stories too, and found them to be completely believable. I was uplifted, inspired and happy for the rest of the day. The script mechanics the patient build up, the balancing of multiple stories really worked, and for once I was actually happy that the film didn't go too crazy' or stupid'. And Carell and Gosling were excellent, too.

[Gabriel]

My review, petsod about three weeks ago, could easily serve as a counter review to yours. The film had this frantic pacing that annoyed me and in terms of compatible relationships, only Gosling and Stone gelled. Not enough heart here, far too much crazy and stupid behavior that doesn't come off as genuine, but fake. Oh, and above all it was just another picture that could've been solved if anyone just sat down and had an honest conversation. But hell, I'm glad you enjoyed it.