It’s hard to remember the last time Hollywood begat a romantic comedy or a dramedy as heartfelt, clever and thoughtful as 2011’s quirkily-titled Crazy, Stupid, Love. (two commas and a full stop?). Not a run-of-the-mill rom-com, writer Dan Fogelman and directors Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris) have concocted an incisive examination of contemporary love, with the film tracking a gallery of characters representing each different stage and form. The flick juggles a handful of subplots and secondary romantic storylines to fulfil its ambitions, yet none of the narrative pieces feel undernourished or short-changed. Most importantly, Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a comedy-drama that finds the perfect balance between poignant drama and quality comedy without feeling tonally schizophrenic or uneven.
After marrying young and spending 25 years together, Cal (Carell) and Emily (Moore) are faced with divorce when Emily is unfaithful. Despondent, Cal moves out and begins drowning his sorrows at a fancy local bar, where he encounters a charming, fast-talking womaniser named Jacob (Gosling). Jacob impulsively takes Cal under his wing to help him regain his manhood, teaching the middle-aged schlub to dress properly and talk to girls. But while Cal enjoys several meaningless sexual conquests, Emily finds it more challenging to move on. Meanwhile, Jacob begins to abandon his womanising ways when he gets stung by Hannah (Stone), a beautiful young girl who resists his trademark pick-up methods from the outset. Added to this, the family babysitter (Tipton) harbours a crush on Cal, but she herself is being aggressively hit on by Cal’s 13-year-old son Robbie (Bobo).
In less dexterous hands, Crazy, Stupid, Love. would have been a disposable rom-com based around embarrassing archetypes and broad comedy. But writer Fogelman (Cars, Tangled) has penned a far more skilful screenplay, which is able to convey both the elation of being in love and the hurt it can cause. It deals with various forms of love, from high school crushes to young love to middle-aged marriage, and it deals with them in an honest way. Consequently, everyone should be able to relate to this movie in some capacity (unless you’ve been spending too much time on the X-Box). Additionally, rather than one-dimensional genre stereotypes, the film’s characters are well-written, have depth, and feel like completely authentic human beings. Their decisions, actions and mistakes are depicted with an admirable realism, which in turn raises the film above less ambitious studio rom-coms. Crazy, Stupid, Love. is definitely a comedy since it’s very funny, but the film is rooted in poignant themes and issues of the heart.
Prior to their directorial debut with I Love You Phillip Morris, directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa had written comedies like the hilarious, edgy Bad Santa, and their comedic instincts do wonders for Crazy, Stupid, Love.. The duo have terrific comic timing, and the picture flows smoothly thanks to attractive cinematography, buoyant editing and a playful soundtrack. Added to this, the directors afforded enough edge to the feature to ensure that it never turns into a ridiculous comedy or an overly sentimental affair. Some of the comedy is a tad broad, sure, but the humour is for the most part witty, with brilliant one-liners and snappy banter to extract a belly-laugh or a giggle. It’s indeed refreshing to see something this gentle and nuanced coming out of the Hollywood factory without seeming saccharine-coated or contrived. While Cal’s climactic speech is perhaps a bit too calculated, the final scenes recapture the sincerity and honesty of what preceded it. Crazy, Stupid, Love. predominantly shies away from Hollywood convention, and refuses to end on a conventionally happy note.
For an often comically-oriented actor, Steve Carell brings tremendous gravitas to the role of Cal, resulting in a performance alternating between emotionally powerful and amusing. Who would’ve thought that the star of such movies as Anchorman and Dinner for Schmucks could be so subtle? Julianne Moore is equally excellent - her performance as Emily is naturalistic and nuanced. Carell and Moore make for a convincing couple who share great chemistry, and their dramatic scenes together are enthralling. Another standout is Ryan Gosling, who demonstrates here what a versatile performer he truly is. Effortlessly emanating charisma, Gosling is spot-on as the womanising Jacob, and the back-and-forth between him and Carell is pure gold. Emma Stone represents another welcome addition to the cast; she’s cute, likeable and believable as Gosling’s love interest. Also engaging are Analeigh Tipton and Jonah Bobo, who are younger but no less convincing as teens who are naïve about the subject of love. Rounding out the main players is a hilariously uninhibited Marissa Tomei, and an against-type Kevin Bacon.
Crazy, Stupid, Love.’s message about love aren’t exactly groundbreaking, but what other untapped messages on the subject are there left to convey? What matters is the treatment of the material, and in this respect the film is a home run. Both funny and romantic, Crazy, Stupid, Love. is not solely aimed at women - men can enjoy it without feeling guilty, and the movie has enough to offer both genders. In fact, this is the kind of title that I would gladly add to my collection in amidst Commando and Predator.
