A different kind of rom-com although somewhat disappointing

Rating: 7/10 (19 June 2014)

I wanted to see this film when it came out at the cinema with a member of support staff who worked at the house I moved to shortly before it was released but due to staff shortage, I didn't get to see it until today when I rented the DVD. The reason I wanted to see this film in the first place is because there aren't many romantic comedies that focus on couples getting a divorce, so its theme of Emily wanting a divorce from Cal was one of the film's strongest points. While this has more strengths than weaknesses, I was somewhat disappointed with the film's length being a little too long for my liking, the dialogue being clichéd in parts, particularly within the first half, and the uneven pacing.
Further to the film's concept, the acting was well done and mostly subtle. While the script had its clichéd moments and pop culture references to Twilight and Dirty Dancing, it had sound funny parts, especially about a female character's PG-13 life (possibly a fourth-wall joke relating to the film's certification in the USA); the film had some creative cinematography, particularly the shots of Cal's head covering Jacob's privates while they're in a locker room and the close-up shots of Jessica applying her make-up before taking nude selfies; and there was also a decent soundtrack with funky, contemporary and emotive snippets of incidental music and some pleasant if forgettable songs. The best songs for me were Goldfrapp's 'Ooh La La,' 'I've Had the Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing, Spandau Ballet's 'True (also featured in the 2000 film remake of 'Charlie's Angels') and Middle East's 'Blood' that played into the closing credits. As for the story, I liked how the subplots of certain characters were revealed such as Bernie turning out to be Jessica's father and Hannah being revealed to be Cal and Emily's eldest daughter. The cast includes some well-known stars such as Steve Carell (Cal), Julianne Moore (Emily), Ryan Gosling (Jacob), Zathura's Jonah Bobo (Robbie) and the face of the EE mobile network Kevin Bacon as Emily's work colleague David.
All in all this film has some enjoyable, engaging and memorable moments but it also had some aspects that left me slightly dissatisfied. 7/10.