When a film can surprise by being better than it needed to be, it’s a good day. When all of that is painted in the colours of true love – told beautifully from all sides -it’s a great day.
Out of nowhere one evening, Emily Weaver (Julianne Moore) stuns her husband Cal (Steve Carell) by asking for a divorce after 25 years of marriage. Being the sort of agreeable person he is, Cal grants her request to separate and leaves the family home within days.
Not entirely sure what to do with himself, Cal starts frequenting an upscale bar in search of any sort of human contact. His sad-sack and desperate pleas for conversation grab the attention of Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a stylish and charming player who doesn’t want to help Cal out of caring, so much as he wants him to stop bumming everybody out.
Jacob’s chutzpah helps Cal get his act together and find a suit that fits him, and it even leads to some success on the dating front…but it doesn’t help him truly move on from Emily. Jacob might have noticed this if he wasn’t so smitten himself with Hannah (Emma Stone), a smart and fetching young lady he meets at that same upscale bar, and the only woman in this story to reject his advances. For help winning her over, he actually has to turn to Cal.
While all of this is playing out, there’s an undercurrent of young love involving Cal and Emily’s son Robbie. 13-year-old Robbie is smitten with his 17-year-old babysitter, Jessica…but she (rightfully) strong-arms his declarations of love. But it’s not like Jessica doesn’t know a thing or two about inappropriate crushes.
On paper, CRAZY STUPID LOVE plays like a topsy-turvy screwball comedy – and in many ways it is. However, during its finest moments, the film is a sweet declaration of the lengths love can push us to, and how dumb we can feel on the way. Cal spends most of this film in a very honest mindset of sad, desperate, loving, and mixed-up. He loves Emily enough to give her up if that’s what she wants – and even to respect the request. What’s interesting about Cal is that even though he loves this woman so much, he knows that he can’t stay at home and pine for her – thus the pathetic attempt at playing the field. It’s a strange mindset to be in, and yet one I’d wager many people can relate to – and Steve Carell plays it perfectly.
Moore and Carell have an interesting chemistry about them, chemistry that feels quite authentic for two people who have been together for so long. At times it can flicker and give us a glimpse of people that are deeply in love, but often it manifests as comfort, which is deftly illustrated the first moment we see them in the film.
If Cal is mixed-up emotionally, he’s taking his cue from Emily. Emily is clearly dissatisfied and saddened with where her marriage is at. Not knowing what else to do, she pulls the pin and lets it blow-up. But everytime we see Moore and Carell together again after that first fateful drive, she has a wanting sadness in her eye (or at one point an angry sadness). Moore taps into something we’ve all felt from time-to-time. That feeling of “I just don’t know what I want anymore”.
That love-struck confusion is rampant in this film, and part of what makes it work so well. What’s more is that said confusion can come from all sorts of adoration:
Naive young infatuation, intense physical attraction, instant unexplainable chemistry, and of course deep personal devotion built on years of affection and communication.
The thing is, that movie understands that all forms of love make us do some of the dumbest things that we ever do. It’s such a persuasive notion, that time after time we can find our hearts drowning out the more reasonable voice in our brains. We squirm as Robbie finds continual inappropriate ways to express his crush on Jessica, and we squirm as Cal has to own up to playing the field. We squirm because we’ve been there (or we know someone who has). Even if it isn’t what we would do, we understand why people like Robbie and Cal do it.
Where the film really elevates itself is in the mechanics of the script – which I actually don’t want to discuss. The script takes all of these emotions and themes that I’ve laid out, and intricately brings them together in many unexpected ways. We’ve arrived at a point where it feels like we’ve “seen it all”, especially where this sort of film is concerned. To defy cliche and infuse a film with genuine charm and emotional honesty is achievement enough; To do it all in surprising ways is just spoiling an audience rotten.
13 comments
Sam Fragoso says:
Aug 21, 2011
My review, posted about three weeks ago, could easily serve as a counter review to yours. The film had this frantic pacing that annoyed me and in terms of compatible relationships, only Gosling and Stone gelled.
Not enough heart here, far too much crazy and stupid behavior that doesn’t come off as genuine, but fake.
Oh, and above all it was just another picture that could’ve been solved if anyone just sat down and had an honest conversation.
But hell, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Ryan McNeil says:
Aug 21, 2011
Interesting.
No qualms with the pacing at all, and I think you might be short-selling the kinship between Robbie and Jessica. I certainly think the situation for Cal and Emily brings a lot more to the table than expected, and that it does a wonderful job of capturing two people who have gone through so much of life at each other’s side.
There’s one bit to it that could have been solved with an honest conversation – but I want to keep that quiet as I found it to be one of the best things about the film. Even then – it’s still not *that* simple, which is why one or two conversations have to happen before it gets sorted out.
Come back to it sometime.
Sam Fragoso says:
Aug 21, 2011
No, the Jessica and Robbie relationship didn’t do much for me – and *SPOILER* Jessica’s fling for Carrel’s character is absolutely ridiculous and not believable.
There’s some heart and honesty in the film I admired. But, Emily’s relationship with Kevin Bacon’s character is so underdeveloped and just there to complicate the plot.
Bottom line, I couldn’t see Emily and Cal splitting in the first place – and for the guy just to ACCEPT it like that is absurd and also not in the least bit realistic.
“Crazy Stupid Love” couldn’t distinguish lust from love – and perhaps that its biggest fault.
Ryan McNeil says:
Aug 21, 2011
Plenty of teenage girls develop crushes on older family men – that’s not unbelievable. She even makes a remark about his relationship with his kids – how of all the kids she babysits, they’re the only ones who wait up for their dad to come home. Tells me that sheisn’t drawn to him for looks, but for what his is as a person.
As I mentioned, Emily is going through a time of restlessness and feeling mixed up. Her relationship with David Lindhagen (gotta love that name) isn’t supposed to be developed – it’s something impulsive she did to rebel…like getting a tattoo, but with spooning after. She knows she wants something different than what she has with Cal, but doesn’t know *what*. Thus Lindhagen…and we don’t get development on that relationship because it isn’t necessary.
The lust/love differential is all in there. Like I say dude…just come back to it sometime.
Sam Fragoso says:
Aug 21, 2011
Fair enough. When it comes out on DVD, I’ll attempt to give it another go around. Perhaps you’re correct.
Though, I reckon on a second viewing the glaring lack of sophistication and wit won’t be reduced, but even more apparent.
Oh, two questions for you: How in the world does Gosling’s character keep going back to that bar over and over again – sleeping with countless women? One woman is bound to come back upset with him for not calling. And is there some kind of lineup of countless beautiful women in there?
Just to answer one of your points – all of which you made very diligently and persuaded me in some cases. I understand Moore’s character “says” she wants something different … but why? Not to mention, how come we never get any backdrop on why they were together in the first place?
Still, abiding by your beloved saying … I’ll give it another go when the time presents itself.
Univarn says:
Aug 21, 2011
I have to say your 4 really throws a wrench in my machine on this one. The marketing left me a bit wanting and the reviews of my fellow bloggers have ranged from ‘shrug’ to ‘double triple shrug’ and I was more than ready to write it off. Now you’ve kind of peaked that pre-review world interest again. I think I’ll notch it onto the DVD push I plan on making later this year before I end up having reviewed only a couple of yearly releases.
Ryan McNeil says:
Aug 21, 2011
Funny that you mentioned the marketing as I turned to Lindsay after the first time we saw the trailer and said “Did they just spell out the whole film?”. They didn’t – and if you’re looking for something good to tide you over a few more weeks until the fall, you could do much worse.
Dan O. says:
Aug 21, 2011
Good Review! Overall, the film is too conventional for my liking. It needed to be sharper, wittier, and funnier. But for average summer fare, it’s okay. It’s far from perfect and runs on the long side, but rom-com and chick flick lovers will likely be satisfied.
Ryan McNeil says:
Aug 22, 2011
I think it rises above just being “a chick flick” actually. He’ll, even it’s self-awareness (“What a cliche” as it begins to pour) gives it a leg up on the norm. Put this on a shelf with FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS and tell me which one you’d rather watch.
Sam Fragoso says:
Aug 22, 2011
Friends With Benefits, haha.
A far more satirical and downright comedic piece of work. The self awareness in Crazy Stupid Love (the rain scene), compared to Friends With Benefits (the fake rom-com with Jason Segel) is far more obvious and cheeky.
But your writings on why Bacon’s character is underdeveloped, is making sense more and more with me.
Max says:
Aug 31, 2011
I’m really glad you liked this one. I think a lot people where turned off by it. I thought it was a really well made film with an excellent cast that certainly elevated the material to the level it gets too.
I really like the new site as well.
Ryan McNeil says:
Aug 31, 2011
Weeks later, I’m still really smitten with this one. I wish the last few holdouts would track it down, especially given the dregs August has offered us.
Glad you like the site – still tweaking a few things but on the whole I’m quite happy with it.
Andy Buckle says:
Sep 30, 2011
I really dug this film, and it’s for the same reasons you raise. Though I’m between the Robbie and Jacob age bracket, I felt like I could relate to each of the male characters. Even Cal’s. I loved the way the stories came together (hilarious) and there were several touching scenes. I enjoyed the kiddies stories too, and found them to be completely believable. I was uplifted, inspired and happy for the rest of the day. The script mechanics – the patient build up, the balancing of multiple stories – really worked, and for once I was actually happy that the film didn’t go too ‘crazy’ or ‘stupid’. And Carell and Gosling were excellent, too.