Sometimes you just want a romantic comedy. It's the cinematic equivalent of comfort food: unchallenging in its flavor and familiar from the first bite to the clean-plate end. Rom-coms are often compared to sugary confections (great in moderation but generally unhealthy), but it goes deeper than that. Too much comfort food will kill you, but just the right amount is utterly satisfying.
"Crazy, Stupid, Love." is pure rom-com comfort. It's smart and well-acted enough to be substantial, and though darker elements are present, the film never veers into tragic territory. "Crazy, Stupid, Love." knows what the audience wants and what they can handle, and only occasionally does this savvy resemble pandering.
Heading up a strong ensemble cast is Steve Carell as Cal Weaver, who's in for a rude awakening when wife Emma (Julianne Moore) reveals she's dallied with a coworker (Kevin Bacon) and wants a divorce. Crushed, Cal drowns his sorrows at a hip bar where pinky-ringed playboy Jacob (Ryan Gosling) takes pity on the schlubby dad in New Balance sneakers. Cue makeover sequence and "how to be a player" montage. Meanwhile, newbie lawyer Hannah (Emma Stone) lusts after Conan O'Brien but finds herself intrigued by Jacob despite his tomcat tendencies, and Cal and Emma's teenage son Robbie (Jonah Bobo) is convinced he's found his soulmate in the babysitter (Analeigh Tipton).
"Crazy, Stupid, Love." isn't going to win any awards, or go down in history as The Best Romantic Comedy of All Time (a title currently held by "When Harry Met Sally"). The script hits all the right notes, occasionally all too well. Predictability is often desirable in rom-coms, but certain moments in this script border on sitcom structure. And why does Cal's fling Kate (Marisa Tomei) have to be such a neurotic mess? Not every woman out at a bar is trolling for a boyfriend.
But for every wrong in "Crazy, Stupid, Love." there's a right. Each main character is well-cast and authentic: from Carell's earnest pathos to Gosling's playing against hero type to Stone's believable gawkiness. Bobo and Tipton's youthful give and take paints a wincingly funny portrait of adolescent unrequited lust at its best (and worst). The soundtrack is lovely and pleasing without being cloying, and moments of dialogue — particularly Carell's monologue late in the third act — alternate between giggle-inducing and achingly real.
"Crazy, Stupid, Love." takes place in a dream world, where awkward moments are manageable, no problem can't be fixed and everyone gets together at the end. In this case, dreams provide a healthy dose of escapist fantasy that is essential to combat day-to-day life. Plus Ryan Gosling doffs his shirt. This alone deems "Crazy, Stupid, Love." a worthy rental.
Blu-ray extras include featurettes with Gosling, Stone and Carell.
Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 4 Yaps