“Crazy, Stupid, Love” is frustrating in the way of someone setting up the foundation for a really, really good joke, and then, when the punch line falls, it’s kind of just ‘eh.’ With the inclusion of major actors like Kevin Bacon, Julianna Moore, and Marisa Tomei – and the unlikely pairing of comedy aficionado Steve Carrell with brooding indie star Ryan Gosling – the film, as promised by the trailer, sold a picture of emotion, growth, and humor. And while the laughs do come, and the film has an irresistible style, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” feels like it misread its hand. Distracting side plots, character development that stops just when it really gets going, and a frustrating twist in the final act takes away from an experience that had so much more to offer.
Carrell plays Cal, a sort of humdrum and safely married man who finds out his wife wants a divorce when she blurts it out at a restaurant over dinner. He reacts to the news as anyone would expect – he jumps out of a moving car, tells his 13-year-old son and his babysitter that his marriage is over, and goes to the nearest bar to drink. The bar’s a really nice place, however, and Cal – with his brooding and the incessant retelling of how his wife left him – attracts the attention of smooth-talking womanizer Jacob (Ryan Gosling), who takes Cal under his wing, showing him the tricks of the trade, offering to help him amp up his style and “rediscover” his manhood.
The film’s strength lies in its acting, and especially the chemistry forged between key characters. Carrell is no stranger to comedy, as seen in the hysterical “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” and he here slips into the love-struck loser motif with ease. Scenes of his transformation from humdrum father to would-be ladies man are comical, such as the film’s obligatory “make-over” scene at a local mall, as well as humorously awkward scenes where Cal tries to pass himself off as a lothario and still only manages to land girls by being – gasp – honest. Cal rediscovers himself throughout the film, and the struggle comes off warmer under Carrell than it might have in the hands of a less capable actor.
Of the film’s cast, Ryan Gosling seems to shine most as the lost, 30-something libertine Jacob. While some scenes are contrived, such as his makeover of Cal à la “Hitch,” or his lessons in the art of seduction at trendy nightclubs, Gosling brings a presence and depth to the character that seems to rise above the limited scope of this film, channeling some of his more serious efforts such as “Drive,” or Derek Ciafrance’s 2013 effort “The Place Beyond the Pines.” This is seen best as he takes Cal under his wing when he sees him struggling in the dating scene, or when he stands up later in the film for Cal in a loyal, unquestioning way. While “Crazy, Stupid, Love” could have been solely about Cal’s post-divorce hijinks, it wisely becomes as much about Jacob; especially when a girl he meets at a bar (the radiant Emma Stone), threatens to disrupt his long-held belief of the futility and unnecessity of love.
Other characters round out the film, such as Julianne Moore as Cal’s unfaithful wife who really isn’t an awful person, and their 13-year-old, hopeless romantic son Robbie (Jonah Boo), who is in love with his babysitter (Analeigh Tipton, “Warm Bodies”), who lovingly entreats his dad to fight for his soul mate. The desire to keep families together rather than break them apart is a welcome change from other romantic comedies “Crazy, Stupid, Love” tries wisely to avoid. Last but not least, as 30-something Hannah, Emma Stone is authentic, lovely, and optimistic, a warm addition to the film who has great chemistry with Gosling and nearly everyone she interacts with during the film’s run-time.
The film’s greatest criticism, regrettably, lies in the fact that it struggles to decide what kind of film it wants to be. “Crazy, Stupid, Love” is not raunchy, yet tries almost too hard during certain parts to be a comedy when it should have focused on being a drama. A large chunk of the film is consumed with Robbie’s babysitter and a crush she has on an older man, which takes away from the sweetness of other parts of the film. In this same way, a parent-teacher conference where Cal bumps into one of his recent conquests serves little else than to postpone a hopeful rekindling with his wayward wife. These aside, the film drops its worst side plot of all in the last twenty minutes or so, throwing in a twist ending involving Jacob, Hannah, and Cal that feels forced, and an insult to the sweetness the rest of the movie worked so hard to foster. The film’s closing scene tries hard to vindicate this; however, the proceedings will most likely only irritate viewers who have come to really like Cal and Jacob by this point.
As comedies go, “Crazy, Stupid, Love” is not a bad film. It has good acting, a great soundtrack (featuring such artists as The Flaming Lips, Doris Troy, Spandau Ballet, and The Talking Heads), and it has heart. It has its funny scenes; but, sadly, it doesn’t have powerful ones. A few moments creep up in the right direction, but ultimately the film chooses a safe, albeit predictable ending when there was probably a much sweeter way to wrap things up. “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” with more focus on its leads and more development given to the limited roles played by Stone and Moore, could have improved its quality and made the ending feel satisfying instead of forced. Overall, a decent effort that will at least entertain, even if it doesn’t reinvent the genre or blow you away.
– by Mark Ziobro
