Meh - promising beginning, schmalzy ending

Rating: Null/10 (30 July 2011)

This movie starts out as a great divorce movie - sets up some complicated characters, and you see how these two people could truly love each other and yet stumble into a divorce. Steve Carrel has some personal growth, ushered in through his unlikely new companion, played by Ryan Gosling. Some funny little love triangles form, and dramatic tension slowly builds as you wonder how much they might blow up (and the payoff is good). There is a surprise third act twist, and then the movie just gets stupid. It ends up with some disappointingly sexist double standards made about casual sex. I recommend setting an alarm for the last 15 minutes of the movie - make up your own ending, and it will be better than the schmalz you see on screen. What a waste of great actors. Gosling's character in particular remains 2-dimensional.