More horrifying than "Saw" or "Hostel"

Rating: 1/10 (8 March 2013)

So, I thought I would check out the state of the contemporary rom-com, and this seemed like a good bet. I mean, actors like Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, how can you go wrong?
Very,very wrong. What I got was one of the most appalling movies I have seen in a long time, a sick demented number full of crazy stalkers, that entirely endorses and promotes stalker-ish behavior. Because, you see, as long as YOU are convinced that the target is your "soul-mate," it can't be considered stalking.
Hello, Mr. Screenwriter! Have we forgotten that John Hinckley was fully convinced that Jodie Foster was his soul-mate? We know how that turned out, correct?
Ah, well, I guess we don't. So keep on pursuing your "romantic" thesis, and thanks for the details on 13-year-old boys masturbating and 17-year-old girls taking nude pictures of themselves. You are keeping it real and contemporary!
By the way, the answer to the burning question, What kind of dad hangs out at the same singles bars as his offspring? is, Creepy-as-Hell Dad!
Apart from pointing out the descent into the moral pit that this movie represents, I must also ruefully report that there is nothing of any aesthetic interest or pleasure here. No sprightliness, no style, no charm, not even such as might show up in the service of an entirely misguided plot. Not a single shot worth looking at, not a single line worth listening to. The characters are utterly boring, contourless screenwriter creations - no interests, no hobbies, no thoughts worth sharing, nada. No actors no matter how good could do anything with this material.
Steve Carell certainly cannot convince us that he could suddenly become a swingin' SoCal ladies' man, effortlessly picking up women half his age - and again, given the third act revelation here, it's a big yuck that he would want to.
Have fun.