Not being a big fan of the romantic comedy genre in general, I didn’t see the summer hit Crazy, Stupid Love in the theater. But after hearing nothing but good things about it over and over again, I thought I would give it a chance when it arrived on DVD. With an all-star cast, and a directing team that I trust, I figured it would be every bit as good as I heard it was. On the contrary, not even the great acting and beautiful scenery could make me overlook what was right in my face the entire movie: glamorizing behavior that I find sickening.
The story follows a newly divorced man (Steve Carell) coping with his new way of life after learning that his wife (Julianne Moore) has been cheating on him. He is befriended by a womanizing playboy (Ryan Gosling) who gives him a modern makeover and teaches him how to pick up women. An unbelievable clashing of different characters’ story lines brings a dramatic ending that is little more than expected.
There was plenty of good acting throughout the film, from all parties involved. I have always been a fan of Carell’s dramatic work, and Julianne Moore is as convincing as ever. Ryan Gosling is one of the best actors around right now, and he is just as believable in this movie as he always is. Emma Stone had a smaller role than I expected from the previews, but she played her part perfectly.
Coming from the directing team that made I Love You Phillip Morris in 2009, I expected an even better second film. And visually, that is exactly what I got. This film was shot beautifully, with all the locations and sets obviously very well thought out to portray the appropriate feeling for the scene.
What was lacking for me, and enough so to overshadow all the great performances and brilliant photography, was the writing. I could not stand the way Gosling’s character was glorified throughout this entire film for his ability to take home a different woman every night and never get emotionally involved with any of them. Not only that, but he was mentoring someone else to be able to do the same. In the end, it did reinforce the message that a one-woman relationship is best, but that was not enough for me to overlook the hour and a half of promiscuity leading up to the ending.