The boy is creepy and Julianne Moore's character isn't great. Apart from that it's swell.

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 2013)

Liked this movie a lot. Thought Ryan Gosling's chest was great and his suave way of dressing was ace. I loved the Dirty Dancing scene with Emma Stone and the banter when they first met. My main beef is about the little boy Robbie: I assume he is meant to be portrayed as cute and winning because he doesn't give up on true love but really he is a serial killer in waiting - completely creepy and a total stalker. Never blinks, masturbating to her, telling her every five seconds. In real life the girl should be disgusted and freaked out - especially given her age. The movie just lost it for me when Jessica (the pretty teenager who is the object of little Robbie's unceasing desire) gave the little creep naked photos of herself. It's meant to be touching and kind I guess but it's not - it's just wrong. Anyway, moving on... the movie is excellent - there is lots of humour and pathos. Emma Stone is excellent in everything she does. Steve Carell was amusing and engaging and sympathetic. Another qualm is that there was nothing that interesting about Julianne Moore's character. The movie didn't explore her midlife crisis if that's what it was. It was pretty shallow - it seemed like she decided not to go for Kevin Bacon because he loved sushi and she didn't (or words to that effect). She seemed like an object between the two guys rather than a real woman. It's not a feminist movie by any means - at one point Steve Carell's character says to Kevin Bacon's "She's all yours" and I would have loved for Julianne Moore to tell them she was nobody's. Anyway, a fun and well made, fairly clever movie - with flaws - and not so lovable ones.