Unlike the recently-reviewed Sarah’s Key, which still resonated a few weeks after I saw it, Crazy, Stupid, Love. vanished from memory within hours. It wasn’t bad, by any means; it just wasn’t nearly as good as I expected – or hoped it would be.
Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a mid-life crisis dramedy starring Steve Carell (The Office, Date Night). He plays Cal Weaver, a nice, if boring forty-something whose seemingly idyllic life (married to his high-school sweetheart, two good kids, good job, etc.) is shattered when he finds out that his wife cheated on him and wants a divorce.
Cal attempts to drown his sorrows – and pick up women – at a local bar, but he’s way out of practice. The bar’s resident ladies’ man, Jacob (Ryan Gosling) feels sorry for Cal and agrees to be his wingman in the pursuit of love. Of course, in the end, each guy learns something from the other to make him a better man. Hooray!
The movie has a few interweaving plotlines, and a twist, that I don’t want to reveal too much about for fear of spoiling the ending. They are well acted, but under-developed (including Julianne Moore as Cal’s wife, Kevin Bacon as the co-worker she slept with, Emma Stone as Jacob’s eventual love interest, and an extremely under-utilized Marisa Tomei as a potential love interest for Cal).
Josh Groban makes a brief appearance in the film as a jerk of a lawyer. I found that casting choice rather distracting. You can’t help thinking, “What is Josh Groban doing there trying to play an a-hole?” It’s just weird. Another character, played by Liza Lapira (Fast & Furious), provides some great comic relief early in the film as the best friend of Stone’s character. But then she’s just gone. What up with that?!
Carell is good, but his everyman persona doesn’t allow for much range… It’s Steve Carell as Steve Carell playing whomever. 
Gosling, on the other hand, does exude range, so it’s nice to see him in a role that actually maximizes his good looks and charm for a change. So if you’re a Ryan Gosling fan, that may be reason enough to check this one out.
All in all, Crazy, Stupid, Love. is Average, Chickflicky, Stuff that’s certainly better than that similar-sounding snoozer, EAT PRAY LOVE. It’s an okay choice for a non-raunchy-comedy, non-superhero, non-overly-dramatic day at the movies. Just don’t be surprised if it’s gone from your memory the very next day – unless you happen to be going through a mid-life crisis. If that’s the case, then a little Ryan Gosling can go a long way. 😉
Just seeing this now, and laughing at your comment about Josh Groban — I had the same exact reaction! But I actually really liked this flick. 🙂