I will be weighing the emotional distress I have endured since Steve Carell’s decision to leave the Office against the entertainment value of every movie he makes for a long time. First off, we have Crazy, Stupid, Love. I’m kind of kidding, but luckily Carell’s likeability translates just as well on the big screen as it does on the TV. In the movie, his character is an average guy facing divorce from his wife, Julianne Moore, after years of ho-hum marriage. During his frequent sad trips to a swanky bar, a playboy, Ryan Gosling, takes the poor schmuck under his wing and teaches him to be a ladies man. Though the tables are turned when Gosling actually falls in love and needs Carell’s experience with lasting relationships.
Carell and Gosling make a fun combination of subtle comedy and pleasant camaraderie. Repetitive scenes stand out because the two are just so likeable it doesn’t really matter what the scene is about. Multiple other love stories occur coinciding with the divorce, but none are quite as fun as with the leads. Moore gives a decent enough performance as the soon to be ex-wife and Emma Stone continues her rise to stardom playing Gosling’s love interest. But for the most part, her scenes are whiny and not very fascinating. She does finally get a chance to shine in the film’s climax though.
In order to give Crazy, Stupid, Love justice I would have to spoil some cringe-worthy and surprising plot elements. I won’t do that, but let’s just say that the audience doesn’t see the best scenes in the movie coming at all. Unpredictability and romantic comedies don’t usually go together, so it’s quite a testament to the script and directors for not giving away their secrets too early. At the beginning of the summer I predicted this film could be one of the summer’s best and I am not disappointed with the final product. Steve Carell still has the ability to be annoying, funny and sympathetic all at the same time. Someone should give this guy a highly successful prime time comedy. Sigh… (9.1 out of 10)
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