"Crazy, Stupid Love" Film Review

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" Film Review

Rating: 5/5

By: Nathaniel Simpson

    "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is a cute rom-com about trying to win your soulmate. Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) are soulmates. Jacob (Ryan Gosling) and Hannah (Emma Stone)m are soulmates. Even 13 year old Robbie (Jonah Bobo) and 17 year old Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) are soulmates. However, as evident in this film, it can be hard to keep your soulmates if you don't work at it anymore.

    That is the case for Cal. Emily wants a divorce, saying Cal isn't the same man she fell in love with. She even admits to sleeping with a guy from her work named David Lindahgen (Kevin Bacon). He then enlists the help of Jacob to make his wife jealous, which he succeeds at. During this time, Jacob falls in love with Hannah, a girl he meets at the bar. Also, Cal's son Robbie is in love with his babysitter Jessica. Little does he know, Jessica is in love with Cal. Yeah, love is extremely messy and complicated. 

    This movie is very light and fun, even in its darkest moments. No one is hateful or rude to each other in this film, unlike other rom-coms. Even though Bacon's character is despised by most everyone in the film, they aren't hateful towards him and vice-versa. 

    The humor is very subtle and not over-the-top, which I enjoyed. Take the opening scenes where Cal threatens to jump out of the car if Emily keeps talking about the divorce. We think he's bluffing until he literally flings himself out of the car. 

    I applaud the surprising twist towards the end of the film. I won't spoil it here, but it made my mouth drop open. I wasn't expecting it at all, and I give kudos to the filmmakers for adding in that little surprise. It definitely added spice to the ending at the 8th grade graduation, which was very well done. 

    I was thoroughly surprised watching this film. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I was impressed. Gosling and Stone have fantastic chemistry. They go on to make "La La Land" after this film, which is easily one of the best musicals of the past 20 years. It's a joy to see such great chemistry between two actors. You can actually imagine these two falling in love. You want them to fall in love and stay together forever. That's how you know you watched a good movie.