The promise of an adult comedy/drama along with liking one of the leads in Dan in Real Life provided a reason to see this along with punctuation in the title. The writer also gave us the superior Tangled. I'm with the reviews that gave this a thumbs up even if it isn't perfect in all respects. A prime three star film almost worth that overpriced movie ticket in a theater near you.
It is a mature trip to the movies that is funny and touching with a talented cast in often in low key fashion repeatedly add to whatever they are in from oh that's the guy from Fargo to younger rising stars like Emma Stone (she was on Conan, who again is a fantasy of a character, and noted she is naturally a blonde).* The film's maturity helps it manage some fairly uncomfortable aspects of the heart without being boorish about it, such as teenage crushes. Given the married couple here were teenage sweethearts, in fact, young love covers most of the craziness here in some fashion. And, the film respects how very serious it actually is to the people involved without just making it a joke. This really shouldn't be only left to "wonderful" people, but in the immature world we live in, sadly, it often seems to be.
The film has a sentimental heart (SC is deemed out of date, but RG uses a move from an eighties teen movie?) that favors the true love of the central character but is honest enough to realize that it "cannot promise you" that it will always work out totally well in the end.** [We might get a hint that it might, but divorced parents can tell you that they can still be friends while not getting back together again.] It sets up the man on the make Ryan Gosling (who apparently can handle any role with skill -- he's one of my favorite actors) as a guide to Steve Carell, but just how useful his skills are later put to question. I thought the amount of success SC had was overplayed, but again, I said the film wasn't perfect or anything, right? Overall, it has a generous spirit that welcomes honesty.
A good message done in an enjoyable way makes for a good movie. I just added a footnote -- that's another thing; there is a lot of things that can be said and discussed about this movie. It is actually somewhat nutritious without being unpleasant for those turned off by the specter of that sort of thing. Another plus.
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* Kevin Bacon, not seen too much of late, has a pretty thankless supporting role that is probably the only character/actor that doesn't come off well. The youngest daughter (played by Joey King, a sort of young Selena Gomez) might look familiar -- see was in the Ramona movie.
** The NYT review notes the somewhat uneasy "attempt to balance skeptical wisdom with dreamy reassurance," one I think many viewers will relate to and notes:
It is a mature trip to the movies that is funny and touching with a talented cast in often in low key fashion repeatedly add to whatever they are in from oh that's the guy from Fargo to younger rising stars like Emma Stone (she was on Conan, who again is a fantasy of a character, and noted she is naturally a blonde).* The film's maturity helps it manage some fairly uncomfortable aspects of the heart without being boorish about it, such as teenage crushes. Given the married couple here were teenage sweethearts, in fact, young love covers most of the craziness here in some fashion. And, the film respects how very serious it actually is to the people involved without just making it a joke. This really shouldn't be only left to "wonderful" people, but in the immature world we live in, sadly, it often seems to be.
The film has a sentimental heart (SC is deemed out of date, but RG uses a move from an eighties teen movie?) that favors the true love of the central character but is honest enough to realize that it "cannot promise you" that it will always work out totally well in the end.** [We might get a hint that it might, but divorced parents can tell you that they can still be friends while not getting back together again.] It sets up the man on the make Ryan Gosling (who apparently can handle any role with skill -- he's one of my favorite actors) as a guide to Steve Carell, but just how useful his skills are later put to question. I thought the amount of success SC had was overplayed, but again, I said the film wasn't perfect or anything, right? Overall, it has a generous spirit that welcomes honesty.
A good message done in an enjoyable way makes for a good movie. I just added a footnote -- that's another thing; there is a lot of things that can be said and discussed about this movie. It is actually somewhat nutritious without being unpleasant for those turned off by the specter of that sort of thing. Another plus.
---
* Kevin Bacon, not seen too much of late, has a pretty thankless supporting role that is probably the only character/actor that doesn't come off well. The youngest daughter (played by Joey King, a sort of young Selena Gomez) might look familiar -- see was in the Ramona movie.
** The NYT review notes the somewhat uneasy "attempt to balance skeptical wisdom with dreamy reassurance," one I think many viewers will relate to and notes:
With understated sympathy to match its sense of human ridiculousness, “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” when dealing with this weary, worried couple, navigates a zone of adult ambivalence and disappointment that most comedies are too timid to explore.The criticism that two female leads are -- though nicely treated kindly -- not given enough time seems to be somewhat true. Emma Stone is a supporting character. She is not likely to get as much time; Ryan Gosling after all has more to do as a character overall. As to Moore, yes up to a point, and it doesn't help that Kevin Bacon (nice touch: she is impressed that he noticed her hair being cut) provides a weaker catalyst of sorts. I also wasn't that upset with the conclusion of one love triangle (the gift was questionable) and found the last twenty minutes fine.