Feb 29: Crazy, Stupid, Love

"A middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a new-found friend Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars."

   Steve Carell will win an Oscar one day, you can quote me on that right now, right here. His filmography has become stronger and stronger as time goes on, and Crazy, Stupid, Love is another exceptional entry. His likeability, his honesty, and his earnestness adds so much to the movies he's in, and when the perfect part comes along (I thought it was Little Miss Sunshine), Carell will be swimming in a kiddie pool of awards. And, you really can't help but be happy for him. In Crazy, Stupid, Love, he shines, as does the entire cast, and it's because of this ensemble that the movie works wondrously. It is a romantic comedy and, of course, can't go without a couple of cliches, but most of the time it makes fun of itself in that fact.

It's a "chick flick" without Katherine Heigel, thus 100% bi*ch free. 

   Crazy, Stupid, Love is a fresh, original, and smart movie. The dialogue is hilarious and very sincere, and there are just the right amount of story-lines going on (f**k you New Year's Eve) that not only keep your interest, but come together gloriously at the end. The film has a handful of genuinely funny moments, as well as a couple of pull-at-your-heart-strings scenes that leave you a little "blubbered". It's an excellent combination of sappy, happy, and not-too crappy. Everything that happens is believable, and it never crosses into the "Come on! Really?" area that most romantic comedies find themselves inside. 

Thankfully, no "empowered" successful female editors, lawyers, reporters, bakers, or designers "too busy" for love. 

   Overall, Crazy, Stupid, Love is a nice little movie that is not just for women. There are a fair share of laughs and the performances by Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone clearly show that they are perfect for their roles. Carrell's kid, played by Jonah Bobo, gives quite the performance for someone his age. Unlike most comedies that fizzle out towards their conclusions, Crazy, Stupid, Love starts off a little slow, but it's finale is worth the wait. The film knows you're not some stupid drone and in its smart, witty dialogue and characters, it's so much more relatable than most of the shit polluting the theaters around the world. 

The Good:

it's a film that knows its audience, and awards us with a great cast, dialogue, soundtrack, and plot

The Bad:

although slightly disguised, it's still a movie about rich, beautiful people and their problems 

The Ugly:

my realization that I will never look "photoshopped" like Ryan Gosling

Overall: 7.9/10

Best Quote:

Jacob: "The war between the sexes is over. We won the second women started doing pole dancing for exercise."