a bit uneven but good writing and excellent casting make it entertaining

Rating: Null/10 (16 February 2020)

After twenty-five years of marriage and multiple kids, decidedly uncool Carell is devastated to learn that wife Moore was unfaithful. This sends him into a downward spiral until he crosses paths with virile, insatiable womanizer Gosling, who promises to help him reclaim his manhood. Meanwhile the seemingly self-assured Gosling finds his own personal challenge when he meets beautiful "game changer" Stone, an aspiring law student who sees through his smooth-talking routine. What initially begins as a straightforward, occasionally raunchy comedy eventually shifts tone into a more serious, family-oriented drama; this throws things off kilter a bit, but there are some unexpectedly effective twists, good lines, genuine laughs, a meaningful (if familiar) message, and when cast to perfection like this it's really hard to miss. Credit the directors for handling multiple storylines in a way that never seems superfluous or overdone. ***