Weirdly enough, I had zero idea Crazy, Stupid, Love was about divorce when I fired it up with my Netflix subscription. Not that it would’ve impacted my decision, but just to say I was drawn in by the talented cast, the fact that I knew it was an acclaimed movie, and I had a desire to watch a good movie. I enjoyed it a lot, and I think I would’ve enjoyed it a few years ago as well, though I know I would’ve walked away with a different feeling, having not gone through a divorce myself.
I wouldn’t call this Steve Carell-led film a breakup movie, but I would say it’s very relatable to middle-aged men with kids who went through a divorce. I’ve been in the game long enough to know there’s more than a few of us out there, so for those who never watched, here’s what I thought the movie got right.
Cal Hanging Out In A Bar Looking Out Of Place Is So Real
The moment I saw Cal sitting in a bar post-divorce, I knew whoever wrote this movie understood what it’s like to be in this real-life situation. It’s not just that he’s at a bar, sad, it’s that he looks out of place, unsure of what he should be doing, and is mostly sticking to himself. For me, it was the feeling of knowing you need to be out there, but not actually wanting to be.
When I first got divorced, my partying and “going out” days were long behind me. I legitimately hadn’t been to a bar by myself at that point, possibly ever, and I was in my 30s. I was definitely Cal, sitting awkwardly at the bar and eavesdropping on what’s going on around me at the start of my divorce, but eventually, I grew out of it.
Everyone Goes Through That Awkward Phase Of Losing Friends For Various Reasons
It’s funny that Crazy, Stupid, Love is considered one of the best Romantic comedies, when it really dives deeply into the unfortunate issues in divorce. I think one that gets joked about in pop culture a lot, but I didn’t realize how true it was, is losing friends. Maybe not like how Bernie told Cal they couldn’t hang out anymore because his wife told him to side with his ex Emily in the divorce, but not far off.
I’ve found that while I’ve had plenty of great friends stick around, there are some that simply aren’t interested in hanging out now that you’re no longer a couple. I get it, it’s a lot easier when the husband and wife have corresponding partners to talk to, rather than just one. Still, it can suck to realize the situation has changed both ways, and maybe you aren’t as close as you thought you once were.
People Can Change Once They Find The Right Relationship
Ryan Gosling‘s Jacob is a playboy and capable of being pretty mean without even trying. Of course, one of the best parts of Crazy, Stupid, Love is when he actually finds love, only to learn Cal is the father of the woman he may have found true love with.
While Cal is of the mind that people don’t change, the audience and Jacob realize that he has. “When you know, you know” is how the phrase goes, and while it may not always mean a lasting love, there’s no denying when things feel right. I couldn’t help but cheer when Cal begrudgingly accepted Jacob dating his daughter, even if he wasn’t 100% on board with it.
All in all, I loved the parts of Crazy, Stupid, Love that I could relate to, and recommend anyone who thinks they can do the same catch it on Netflix right now. It may not get every aspect right or speak to everyone’s divorce in the same way, but it’s still a great movie and one of Ryan Gosling’s best, in my opinion.