Contrived, but surprisingly believable.

Rating: 7/10 (10 December 2011)

Looking at all the plot contrivances in "Crazy, Stupid Love," I can't believe I found this movie so engaging and believably. I don't much care for Steve Carell, nor did I find his character very likable or sympathetic. Julianne Moore, while a fine actress, is not one of my favorites, either. However, the ensemble cast is good, especially Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo and, in an incredibly thankless role, Marisa Tomei, that I found myself carried along by this broad, sometimes farcical story.Writer Dan Fogelman's screen is so eccentric, it drew me away from obvious conclusions with snappy dialogue and directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa make no mistakes, as even one would have caused "Crazy, Stupid Love" to come crashing down.
Some don't understand WHY Julianne Moore cheated and HOW Steve Carell changed. The answer is that Steve Carell took his life for granted and never developed his innate romantic skills. He had to discover his dark side before finding out WHO he really is. He reveals this in his climactic speech.
While production values are top-notch, they are also suitably forgettable. The important thing for me is I watched the closing credits with a smile on my face, new found admiration for Emma Stone and Marisa Tomei and discovered what a fine comedic actor Ryan Gosling can be.