In his mid-40s, Cal Weaver who is played by Steve Carell is living the perfect life. That is, until he suddenly discovers that his Emily, wife played by Julianne Moore cheated on him. Thus begins a new chapter in Cal’s life as he starts divorce proceedings and finds out what being single means all over again – in 2011.
Who should present himself but a 30 year old player called Jacob Palmer who is played by the irrepressible Ryan Gosling. Thus starts an unlikely comedic adventure which is similar to a rollercoaster ride many middle-aged men can relate to.
While strictly the film can’t be tags as a romantic film, it does have its moments. More obvious are the fresh and funny ideas on how a man handles being single. Crazy, Stupid Love, directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa is a typical Carell movie. It’s funny on the surface which is great for anyone who just wants a laugh. But on the other hand, it has its darker side about the trauma of suddenly not being a couple and confused about sex, being a man, and feeling emotional.
Steve Carell weaves his magic once again and plays a typical confused all-American guy who’s adorable and slightly off-key. His bumbling mistakes become endearing without going overboard into slapstick which makes the film smart and easily enjoyable. In other words, he doesn’t go over the edge and look like he’s working too hard for the million dollar paycheck he’s getting.
Naturally, being men, their strategy in the film is to seek and find as many women sex partners as they can to validate what happened with the cheating wife. Unfortunately, other things are happening at the same time on the home front which puts a lot of twists into the plot. Towards the end of the film, everything has to be resolved, and this is where the film drags a bit. Too many loose ends to resolve dampens the finale’ but manages to retain its whimsical commitment to being about the realities of marriage and a looming divorce.
The film is worth your money and your time. The actors are flawless in their portrayals, and the story is funny with a major dose of disguised realism.
