Crazy, Stupid Love

The Flick: Crazy, Stupid Love

The Peeps: Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone (havin' a moment), Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, Josh Groban (yeah, that Josh Groban), etc.

The Dealio: While Carell's Cal is thinking 'What a perfect life I have', Emma, his wife of over 20 years is thinking divorce. Meanwhile Gosling's Jacob is hectically playing ladies' man extraordinaire, except that his usual magic is not working on the one lady he can't get out of his mind-or into his bed. Hannah (Stone) is hoping for a twofer: passing the boards and getting a proposal in the same week. Which she does. But not exactly as planned. And, Cal and Emma's son is heavily smitten with his babysitter, who has her eye on someone else entirely. Oh, I'm sorry, should have warned you to spreadsheet all this.

The Grading Session: 4.33 pengies out of 5. With more than a glancing nod to such previous films as Love, Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral, CSL is still one that stands out in a crowd. At times silly, melodramatic and frothy, it is also one deeply romantic movie, that is unafraid to show the bittersweet edge of romance. The cast is very strong-although Tomei ratchets up the way-too-hungry-ex-lush thaang a notch or two too many on several occasions. Still, it is nice to see her work. And there is a typical ending in which is couched a deeply felt, but almost cliched declaration of love. But, even as I was sort of shaking my head at the lack of originality of the whole thing, I suddenly felt very...moved and emotional about what was happening on the screen. And not only to the person speaking the lines. Nicely done.

Lessons Learned: If someone says they will jump out of the car if you do not stop talking...take them at their word and put a sock in it. Also- Ryan Gosling totally looks photo-shopped. Sorry, but he does. Finally, this: love is inconvenient, goofy, nonsensical and just plain crazy, not to mention stupid. But it is also worth all of that if it possesses the real stuff.

Notable Quotes: 'You are better than the Gap!' 'OK, normally, I would tell you to just be yourself. But, on this occasion, my advice to you is to be the exact opposite of yourself.' 'You're David Lindhaven?' (followed by loads of piling-on).