Crazy Stupid Love

Crazy Stupid Love

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa; written by Dan Fogelman

With Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo, Kevin Bacon, Josh Groban and Marisa Tomei

Tis the season of big noisy, expensive ‘blockbuster’ films. How refreshing to have a summertime film that is both sweet and smart and also studded with dynamite performances. The romantic comedy “Crazy Stupid Love” does not follow the usual formula for that genre. Instead the viewer encounters lots of surprises and satisfactions.

Cal Weaver (Steve Carrel) and his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) are 40 something childhood sweethearts who are living the American dream, including a beautiful home, good careers and two children, Robbie (Jonah Bobo) and Molly (Joey King). As “Crazy Stupid Love” opens, they are about to order dessert at a restaurant. After Cal orders crème brulee, Emily announces that she wants a divorce. She has been having an affair with David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon), a co worker.

Shell shocked Cal, a nebbish of a fellow, drowns his sorrows with cranberry juice and vodka at upscale singles bars loaded with beautiful women.. He hasn’t a clue of how to meet any of them until a very suave lothario, Jacob (Ryan Gosling), decides to do a physical and mental makeover on him. Cal becomes a ladies man, but all he really wants is to reunite with Emily.

But there are other threads of plot in this engaging film. Cal’s 14-year-old son, Robbie, is in love with his 17-year-old babysitter, Jessica (Analeigh Tipton). Jessica has a massive crush on Cal. Hannah (Emma Stone), a recent law school graduate, is  pursued by the casanova Jacob, but she has eyes only for Richard (Josh Groban), a self-involved lawyer at the firm for which she works. The script is very busy. And very funny.

The screenwriter Dan Fogelman and directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have balanced both comedy and drama in these pairings. Everyone is looking for love, and the course of true love does not run smoothly. 

The performances in “Crazy Stupid Love” couldn’t be better. Steve Carrel is poignant as the somewhat clumsy cuckolded Cal. Ryan Gosling adds sensitivity and decency to the lothario stereotype Jacob. Jonah Bobo is simply wonderful as the adolescent Bobbie, who refuses to take no for an answer from his bewildered babysitter, Jessica. Analeigh Tipton as Jessica is captivating with her huge eyes and  gawky innocence. Emma Stone is terrific as the straightforward Hannah, who sees through Jacob’s smooth operator persona.

With its plot digressions and one large surprise, “Crazy Stupid Love” defies the conventions of the romantic film formula. It will have you laughing from beginning to end. But most of all it is a touching look at love, its complications and how it maddens us and satisfies us all at the same time.