Finally, a smart feel-good movie. (even if you're not a fan of Steve Carell)

Rating: Null/10 (25 August 2011)

I originally didn't want to see this movie because all I knew about it was that Steve Carell was starring. But my friends (two guys, mind you) insisted that it was the only worthy-looking film in theaters. Probably because they think Steve Carell is hilarious, and not because they're die-hard "rom-com" fans. When they told me Emma Stone (the coolest person ever) was in it, I agreed to go.
This movie starts out a bit depressing, while staying in-tact with the humor that's found in our every day tragedies; divorce, unrequited love, etc. The story starts from hitting rock-bottom and going forward with life. Things are getting better and worse at the same time for Cal (Steve Carell) when he deals with his high-school-sweetheart-wife (Julianne Moore)'s infidelity and her decision to divorce him. At the bar where he goes to look pathetic every night, he befriends an over-confident, over-stylish pick-up artist (Ryan Gosling) who oddly feels responsible to give Cal a make-over. The objective is to make his wife jealous by building his confidence and "game" with other women.
Ryan Gosling gives a great performance, even though he's semi-ripping off Robert DeNiro's trademark persona. And Emma Stone is as cool as ever, winning his heart by being curiously honest and poking fun at what she sees. She effortlessly makes the inner pain of Gosling a little lighter.
This movie is filled with fun scenarios. Did I mention that their 17-year-old babysitter is in love with Cal? And that their over-romantic younger son is in love with the babysitter? I know this movie sounds cliché, but it's the good kind of cliché. The kind that has built on romcoms before it, and made the genre better and more appealing to both sexes. After all, it wasn't me who pushed us to see it.