After getting a divorce, one man must navigate the single scene with the unexpected help from a bachelor.

Rating: 8/10 (12 December 2015)

Love is many things; it's encompassing, beautiful, painful, and ever changing. When it first begins to build inside us, we tend to stand on the shoulders of giants, embracing the world as this wonderful and tiny organism. After a while that love changes; sometimes for the better, other times for the worse. When it does take a nosedive, we often shun it all together. Crazy, Stupid, Love shows us that no matter how unexplainable or heart wrenching love can be, it will always be within our reach to hold and cherish when we need it the most. Love can come from many angles, and that's where the sincerity in not only the pieced together title comes from, but where the plethora of characters really shine. Showing the relationships between unlikely friends, a boy and his babysitter, a womanizer and a romantic, Crazy, Stupid, Love paints a ray of colors over a simple palette, providing that sophisticated touch to a well-worn genre.
Telling the story of multiple characters that interweave throughout the film, Crazy, Stupid, Love focuses on Cal Weaver (Steve Carrell), a married man that suddenly finds himself cast out into the single- peoples social sphere, ultimately out-dressed and out-numbered by the young and the restless. Holding up in a bar catering to those twenty years younger, Cal finds himself taken under the tailored wing of Jacob (Ryan Gosling), an inheritance rich womanizer that has just about every woman stumbling under his well-crafted and meticulous spell. As Cal begins straying away from but never forgetting his soul-mate Emily (Julianne Moore), we are shown loves game from the eyes of Cal's optimistic son Robbie (Jonah Bobo), and confused romantic Hannah (Emma Stone). As Cal tries to hold onto what he refused to fight for, Jacob begins to realize that there is something worth fighting for, something that will prove just how crazy love can be.
Coming off the heels of 2009's quirky prison-love tale I Love You, Philip Morris, screen writing/directing duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa know how to handle the multiple facets that come from budding romances. The way they handle love is akin to lighting a bunch of sleazy romance novels on fire atop the roof of a fine adult book store, sending smoke signals to those worn and withered romantics out there. Just like Francois Truffaut's epic love-triangle Jules and Jim, Crazy, Stupid, Love works best as a meditation on the hetero-fueled relationship between its male focal points Cal and Jacob. As we see each one in their individual state, it only adds to the bond they develop later on, providing that true essence of masculine friendship. Though not quite capturing the crazy side of love, Ficarra and Requa manage to add just enough charm and wit to their characters for us to feel attached to, showing just how powerful any relationship can be.
Bringing all of these characters to life is an ensemble cast that feels surprisingly fresh considering they have all been in these roles before. It doesn't feel too long ago that we saw Steve Carrell as the down on his luck forty-year old, Julianne Moore as the confused and cheating wife, Emma Stone as the desirable take-charge woman, or Kevin Bacon as well, the villain. These are all actors that have been through the motions their characters go through multiple times, though it all feels so pure like a new love. Taking a prominent position amongst the A-listers is Jonah Bobo as Cal's son Robbie, and Analeigh Tipton as Jessica the babysitter who both bring a raw emotion to the screen that feels as if we're watching our self fall in love all over again for the first time.
Crazy, Stupid, Love is one of those films that shouldn't work as well as it does, but succeeds in almost every regard. While the title falls a bit short in showing us just how crazy and stupid love can truly be, it does provide a beautiful take on love gone bad and love that has yet to even start. Dan Fogelman's script injects the romantic comedy genre with a vibrancy that hasn't been seen for years, causing us to embrace our youthful woe with nostalgic fondness all the while embracing what we have. Rarely do we get to revel in the marital misfortune of others with such gleeful wit than with this rare treat, ranking high amongst modern romances.