Different type of Romantic Comedy

Rating: 6/10 (9 July 2017)

Crazy, Stupid, Love was a mild success at the box office due to it's ensemble cast and clever trailer. The film is a romantic comedy but not as much as the typical soppy ones where it first starts off as a somewhat innocent typical comedy then shifts towards romantic and finally more so depressing and expressive. This is a decent film and quite entertaining due to the cast, lead by Steve Carell (playing a similar character as he did in the 40 year old virgin) and Ryan Gosling who arguable steals the film. The other lead characters of Julianne Moore and Emma Stone come off as completely unlikable, but eventually get better as the film progresses.
Containing with several flaws, such as the wife Emily played by Julianne Moore wanting to get a divorce from Steve Carell's character Cal because she cheated on him, after being married for over 20 years was sketchy. It was a surprise as it was the first scene in which it occurred,but as the film progresses we realize it was only her character going through a midlife crisis and did not actually want a divorce. The film contains other subplots, one which dragged on too long and dragged the quality of the film down. Which involves their 13 year old and their babysitter. This subplot folds towards the end but it was easily the weakest link and wasn't funny, sweet or all that interesting. At fist it was okay, but seeing as it became an entire subplot and part of the film held it down. The best scenes are the ones involving Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell together, with Gosling teaching Carell his ways of picking up woman at the bar, simply because the comedy is loose, and it's refreshing. Their chemistry is what made the film.
Crazy, Stupid, Love has its moments since it is quite a long film but a lot of the film appears to be as a fairy tale and very coincidental. Such as Cal successfully being able to attract Marisa Tomei's character then later finding out she is their son's teacher at a parent conference meeting (when the meeting appeared to be at the end of the semester- since the son was about to graduate). It's plausible but a little sketchy that the parents would just now be meeting with their child's teacher that late in the semester. (Spoiler) The other coincidental is of course the concluding twist in the near finale of the film. This was well executed but very coincidental and far fetched but played well. Involves Ryan Gosling's character of Jacob appearing to fall for Emma Stone's character then turning out that she is the daughter of Steve Carell. This scene appears within the last 30 minutes of the film at their backyard when everything comes into place and is well played for laughs. Elevates the film from that point on.
Otherwise this film isn't as great as considered but overall one can tell why this film did well with critics and movie goers as it isn't a completely typical rom-com but a bit depressing and very honest in the least bit.