We saw "Crazy, Stupid, Love" in the theater this weekend. I wanted to see it and my husband was humoring me but taking me. Neither of us tend to like romance flicks but this one had a good cast and actually looked somewhat funny. Usually with romantic comedies you get WAY more romance then comedy but this one had the right mixture.
The film stars Steve Carell as Cal, a 40-something guy who married his high school sweetheart at 17. They have been married for 25 years with a young son and daughter still living at home. They are at dinner when his wife Emily, played by Julianne Moore tells him she wants a divorce. As they are driving home (Emily is driving), she keeps talking as if uncontrollably and even divulges that she slept with David played by Kevin Bacon whom she works with. Cal tells her if she doesn't stop talking he will jump out of the car. She doesn't stop talking so he calmly removes his seat belt and flings himself from the moving vehicle. Very funny stuff!
The two separate within only a few weeks and Steve Carell moves into an apartment and begins drowning his sorrows at a local bar every night. Enter Jacob, played by Ryan Gosling who is a 20-something playboy with mad style and ALL the right moves. Night after night he takes a different chick home. Well one night he tries his moves on Hannah, played by Emma Stone who is also a 20-something who is about to graduate from Law School and needless to say she rejects him. Hannah is in a relationship with Richard, played by Josh Groban who is already a JR Lawyer at (I believe) his fathers firm. Her relationship is described by her AWESOMELY outspoken friend Liz, played by Liza Lapira, as PG-13 and boring.
One night Jacob (Gosling) has had his fill of Cal (Carell) being at the bar in misery so he has a sit down with Cal and offers to help him change all the things that are wrong with him and turn him into a ladies man. Cal reluctantly agrees and they meet the following day at the Mall. Jacob changes Cal's wardrobe, his hair and even teaches him what to say and what not to say to get the girl. The decide to try him out one night and Cal approaches Kate played by Marissa Tomei, a 40-something teacher that is a bit... off. Well it works and Cal has his fling with Kate and after that he takes home a different chick every night.
Hannah (Stone) finally passes the BAR exam and is out with Richard, Liz and several others where circumstances have lead her to believe Richard is going to propose...well he doesn't and Hannah kind of has an impulse moment. She runs to the bar to find Jacob and she makes him take her home. Instead of a night of sex they instead have a night of intimacy where Jacob actually opens up and talks to Hannah about himself and his personal life. This is, of course, the beginning of the change is Jacob. He no longer wants to be a "Gigolo" but instead wants to be with Hannah.
I won't go into anymore details but the film was very well written, directed and played. It was tastefully made without showing all the sex scenes and raunchy things that most films show these days. It was clean, I can't recall any nasty language or full nudity. There was not much music which I didn't even think about until now. There was club scene jams in the bar and I believe 2 songs played at Jacobs place but otherwise I can't recall a big soundtrack but it didn't affect the film at all. This is a film that has a lot of stories within the story which makes it flow very well. There were no moments of boredom. It was excellent.
I recommend this film for a date night, girls night, singles who want some clean romantic comedy or just someone looking for a relaxing night out. Rated PG-13 and I rate it 9 out of 10!
