Crazy Stupid Love
Review by Sean Lynch
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Crazy Stupid Love
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There isn't a single thing simultaneously better and worse for the
human brain to deal with than a rom-com drama that deals with events
that mirror your own life at the exact moment of viewing.
Depending on what side of the story you sit (newly heartbroken, the heart breaker, newly loved, or love rekindled) a film like Crazy Stupid Love
will come as either a thoroughly emotionally cathartic experience, or
at the very least, some kind of outlet for you to yell at the sexy
accountant on screen that has just stolen the "every mans" wife from
under his fingers.
At forty something, straight laced Cal Weaver
(Steve Carell - the "40s every man" to Seth Rogens "20s every man") is
living the dream - good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his
high school sweetheart.
But when Cal learns that his wife,
Emily (Julianne Moore), has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his
"perfect" life quickly unravels.
Worse, in today's single world, Cal, who hasn't dated in decades, stands out like a priest at a strip joint.
That
is until Cal is, fairly inexplicably (aside from a pretty
superficial attempt to inject some "character depth"), taken under the
wing by the incredibly handsome, smooth, root rat that is Jacob Palmer
(Ryan Gosling and Ryan Goslings Abs).
What follows is a middle
aged male version of one of those high school movies where the a nerdy
girl is turned from "geek to chic" just in time for the prom.
Cue
plenty of montages of dating highs and lows, shopping adventures and
the occasional cut away to Ryan Gosling that manages to make every dude
in the cinema feel inadequate as a human being.
There's also
some love life parallels thrown in for the younger generation in the
form of Cal's 13 year old son and a down-on-her luck Emma Stone.
The
moral of the story? Keep persisting until the person you like just
gives in. Apparently wearing down the will of someone who doesn't like
you anymore is less of a "criminal offence" as it is a "romantic
statement" these days.
In all honesty though, Crazy Stupid Love has a lot going for it. It's fresh, it's fun, it's inventive and it's incredibly captivating.
Carell is in the best form he's been in since 40 Year Old Virgin, Gosling cements himself as the Clooney of the his generation, Emma Stone continues her unbeatable run as the Julia Roberts of her generation and the writing and pace is wonderfully new, raw and honest.
The
farcical ending seems somewhat out of sync with the preceding 90
minutes, but the ride so fun and romantic I severely doubt anyone will
complain (except for those on "Team Sleazy Accountant At Your Wife's
Office").
One of the better Rom-Coms to hit screens in a long, long time. 4 out
of 5
Crazy Stupid Love
Australian release: 29th September,
2011
Official
Site: Crazy Stupid Love
Cast: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Julianne Moore
Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
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