'Crazy, Stupid Carell!'

Rating: 9/10 (2 August 2011)

'CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Steve Carell returning to what he does best, emotionally sweet but honest comedy-drama. After a couple mediocre to dud films (like 'DATE NIGHT', 'DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS' and 'DESPICABLE ME'). It's nice to see Carell getting back to higher caliber quality comedy (like his much better earlier films 'THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN' and 'LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE'). He's not the only reason to see the film though, like those earlier noted films, this is an ensemble piece made up of a lot of great talented actors such as Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Marisa Tomei. It's directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (who also co-directed 'I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS') and written by Dan Fogelman (who's worked on the screenplays for several kids' films including both 'CARS', 'TANGLED' and 'FRED CLAUS'). The film tells the story of a recently dumped father who attracts the sympathy and mentoring of a younger popular 'ladie's man' bachelor. Carell plays the sad father and Gosling co-stars as the hip 'hot shot' womanizer. It's a well made and effective buddy film with a lot to say about love, relationships and family life as well.
The film opens with Cal (Carell) and his wife Emily (Moore) sitting down to a nice dinner in a beautiful restaurant when Emily tells Cal she wants a divorce, much to Cal's surprise. On the drive home she also lets him in on the information that she's had an affair to which Cal responds by jumping from the moving vehicle. Cal takes it like a man and moves into a small apartment but is devastated inside. Their two young children, Robbie (Jonah Bobo) and Molly (Joey King), are hurt by the news as well. Robbie is a thirteen year old with apparent wisdom well beyond his years and has just professed his love to the family babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton), who secretly has an obsessive crush on Cal. While telling his sob story repeatedly (to anyone who will listen, or won't even) at a local club Cal attracts the attention of Jacob (Gosling) who offers to teach Cal all he knows so he can hopefully 'regain his manhood'. The two bond during their experiment but things become complicated when Emily begins to show feelings for Cal again and Jacob falls for a young lovely woman (Stone).
The film is grade A material and production values all around; the cast is outstanding (especially Carell and Gosling, two of my favorite actors), the directing is decent, the film looks great and the script is smart and fun. It's equally as funny as emotionally charged and honest, although it does lose it's way a little towards the end. Like many, many comedic dramas before it the movie takes brief turns into somewhat sappy slapstick. It's a minor amount of screen time but it does come at key points in the film, which does take away a little from it's otherwise greatness. This is it's only true flaw though and you get so much more good from the film than bad. It's like at least twice as good as something like 'DATE NIGHT'. It's refreshing to see Carell return to form and actors like Gosling and Moore branching out a little (from their usual all too serious Oscar bait). As a buddy film it really works, as an emotional drama it really works as well and as a comedy it's equally as impressive. Other than the previously mentioned flaw it is a near perfect example of it's genre and definitely worth checking out.
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