Crazy, Stupid, Love
Among the many purported “romantic comedies” this summer “Crazy, Stupid, Love” has a little more substance and heart over the unfortunate grunge, though sometimes funny, that hit theaters in recent months.
Everyman Cal (Steve Carrell) seems to be doing just great when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) admits that she has had an affair and wants a divorce. Cal is shell-shocked, moves out, and mourns his life at a bar. He meets a slick ladies man Jacob (Ryan Gosling) who takes him under his wing. Jacob updates Cal’s wardrobe and teaches him how to chat up women. He manages to seduce Kate (Marisa Tomei) along with other women, but he comes to regret his liaison with Kate as this story gets more involved.
Unbeknownst to Cal and Emily, their 13-year old son Robby (Jonah Bobo) has a crush on the babysitter, Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) who has a crush on Cal that is actually a little creepy but plausible. But when Jacob falls for the lovely law student Hannah (Emma Stone), who sees right through his womanizing, the story goes from complicated to a little chaotic.
Finally, Cal admits to Emily that he should have fought for her.
“Crazy, Stupid, Love”, written by Dan Fogleman, who wrote “Cars”, “Bolt” and “Tangled” vacillates between charm, humor, and the unsatisfying consequences of careless sexual behavior. But he does manage to show that marriage takes work, that temptations abound, and that it is precious, and requires character, courage, and effort.
-SPOILER-
Just when you think the film will end on a high note, parents will cringe when the babysitter, Jessica, gives Robby, already a hopeless romantic, something to remember her by after the 8th grade graduation ceremony. Although the audience doesn’t see anything, its assumed she sends him nude photos from her cell phone.
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