DVD Reviews

Crazy, Stupid, Love (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) – Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Nov 10, 2011, 23:54 GMT

Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling lead an all-star cast in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Fortysomething straight-laced Cal Weaver (Carell) is living the dream—good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart, Emily (Julianne Moore). So when Cal learns that his wife has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his “perfect” life quickly unravels. Cal, who hasn\'t dated in decades, stands out as the epitome of un-smooth ...more

Well, one out of three ain’t bad, but it’s usually crazy or stupid and not love.  I didn’t find the film too stupid or crazy, but I also didn’t fall head over heels in love with it either.  There was enough fun to make me like it though. 

Cal (Steve Carrell) has a bomb dropped on him when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) confesses that she has been sleeping with her coworker David (Kevin Bacon) and wants a divorce.  Cal moves out and starts hanging out in a bar. 

The bar is the hangout of the local lothario Jacob (Ryan Gosling) who earlier met his match when he tried and failed to seduce Hannah (Emma Stone).  Cal comes to the attention of Jacob who decides to school him in the way of picking up women. 

Cal’s first conquest (Marisa Tomei) doesn’t go exactly well but he manages to pull it off.  Cal begins to get the hang of it yet is still wondering about his failed marriage and is still in love with his wife.    Cal’s son Robbie (Jonah Bobo) thinks that babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) is his soul mate and is not afraid to declare it from the rooftops, much to Jessica’s objections since she has a secret crush on Cal. 

When Hannah’s milquetoast boyfriend Richard (Josh Groban) fails to impress her, she runs to find hot bar guy (Jacob) to unleash her passion on, but the results don’t go as it would’ve been imagined as neither do many of the stories that we are following in the movie. 

Did I fall in love with this film?  Well, it was more of a one night stand.  Truth be told, I preferred Dan in Real Life, but Crazy, Stupid, Love has its moments.  I’m usually a bit of a softie for romantic comedies (don’t tell anyone) but parts of the film (I’m not going to keep typing Crazy, Stupid, Love) had me frowning.

I didn’t find much to laugh when an affair basically makes Cal depressed and seemingly suicidal (he does jump out of a car).  Although I have to give Carrell credit as when he performs I had to laugh in spite of my reservations. 

Parts of the movie are very cliché and it also seems to acknowledge those clichés.  All the characters seem to move into each other’s orbits rather too conveniently and we’re pretty sure a happy ending is in store for all.  The only character that seems a bit more original is Bacon’s, who could’ve been the arch villain but is actually a likeable guy thanks to his fine performance. 

Gosling seems a bit too good to be true, photoshoped abs and all.  Some will fall in love with the film, but I had just a case of the likes.  It didn’t offend me enough to outright hate it.  Maybe the tale of middle-age marriage hit too close to home and tempered some of the laughs that it might’ve inspired in me.  There were enough laughs elsewhere so I’d say that it wasn’t a “batshit crazy” date. 

Crazy, Stupid, Love is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1).  Special features are in high definition and include the 6 minute “Steve and Ryan walk into a Bar” which has Carrell and Gosling goofing, the 6 minute promotional “The Player meets his Match,” and 12 minutes of deleted scenes.  Disc two is a DVD/digital copy. 

Crazy, Stupid, Love has its moments, but some might be cut too close by some of the storylines or the clichés that are milked here. 

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