Crazy, Stupid, Love

Romantic comedies are one of the most popular and engaging film genres. This is because they represent what we feel and experience ourselves and allow us to laugh at it as our own problems are shown on-screen. It is a continuously evolving genre and always reflects the attitudes and values of the time. Despite this constant change, most romantic comedies are still confined to a set model in terms of standard characters, soundtracks, plot and themes all centred on love.

The archetypal narrative of the romantic comedy tends to follow a path of love found, the relationship being put through tests and complications and eventually resolving to a happy ending once more and romantic comedies must remain light-hearted and funny. The romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa explores both these stereotypical aspects and some unconventional genre characteristics. Throughout the movie, the plot twists in unusual directions, but eventually it straightens out into an archetypal happy ending.

Cal Weaver seems to be living the dream, married to his high school sweetheart Emily. When she admits to cheating on him with David Lindhagen from work and requests a divorce, his life collapses before his eyes. He is then “dumped” by his best friend and expresses his woes to everyone in the bar until he is taken on as a pity case by the handsome Jacob Palmer. Helping Cal to rediscover his manhood through ladies, drinks and style that can’t be found at The Gap, Jacob starts to realise that he has fallen in love with Hannah, a funny redheaded law student.

Meanwhile, Cal realises that Emily is his soulmate – there is no one else for him. There are also a series of subplots, through which Cal’s 13-year-old son has fallen hard for his 17-year-old babysitter Jessica who in turn harbours a secret crush on Cal. This tangled web of romance inevitably leads to comedy, and at the end of the film the numerous complications fall apart, leading to the final reconciliation scene. The exposition of Crazy, Stupid, Love is largely unconventional, as the main complication is introduced in the first minute.

The film opens with a tracking shot of couples in stylish black shoes touching ankles at a restaurant. The low lighting and jazz music help to establish the romantic atmosphere, but as soon as the camera reaches Emily and Cal Weaver, this illusion is dropped. Their feet are planted firmly apart, with Cal wearing white New Balance sneakers. This does not conform to the strong male lead and love at first sight stereotype, as a married couple are the main focus of the film and Cal is portrayed as a daggy forty-something dad.

The music is muted and replaced by the clattering of plates and awkward small talk, immediately creating tension between the two main characters. This is heightened when the camera pans above the table and while Cal states what he wants for dessert, Emily blankly states that she wants a divorce. During the development stage of the film, many complications arise from the various relationships. This is another aspect of the film which does not conform to the romantic comedy genre – there are so many relationships, friendships and links between people providing the sources of romance and comedy, as opposed to the typical one or two.

Jacob takes on two roles – Cal’s ‘guardian’ figure, shown where he says “I don’t know if I should help you or euthanize you…I’m going to help you rediscover your manhood,” and that of the cad, preventing Emily and Cal from getting back together by helping him find new women. This severs Cal’s relationships with several other characters, including Jessica’s (the babysitter) family who see him as a player. This position of cad is shared with David Lindhagen, the man who had sex with Emily and triggered the divorce.

He prevents the main characters’ reconciliation by continually trying to seduce Emily and make friends with Robbie, through which another source of comedy is found. Eventually, the problems in a romantic comedy culminate at the climax, which follows the grand gesture of the film. The grand gesture changes the direction of the relationship featured in the film, and as there are several relationships in Crazy, Stupid, Love, several grand gestures. The first series of gestures begins with Jessica taking nude photos for Cal, who is unaware of her crush on him.

The next move toward the climax is made where Emily phones Cal pretending the water heater is broken when in reality she just wants to talk to him and he stands outside and sees her, positively influencing their relationship from Cal’s point of view. This prompts Cal to do something special for Emily, and at the same time Jacob confesses he has met a girl and he’s going to meet her parents – it is not yet known that Hannah is Cal and Emily’s daughter.

Jessica’s mother discovers the nude pictures and this triggers the falling apart of all the relationships in the film. Just when Cal is about to reveal his surprise to Emily, Jacob arrives with Hannah and there is some confusion, then Jessica’s father arrives, as does David Lindhagen and all the men end up in a brawl. The women are all yelling at them to stop, and eventually the police arrive. This high-drama situation is somewhat uncharacteristic of the romantic comedy but because it is amusing, it keeps the film within the genre.

The final scene is another important aspect of the romantic comedy, and generally there is a set outcome. Crazy, Stupid, Love does not fit this entirely, but it resolves to a typical happy ending with the final grand gesture; When Robbie begins his graduation speech about how he has given up on love, Cal interrupts him and talks about how Emily is his soulmate and he will never find another. Cal understands that he was too harsh on Jacob and Hannah and allows them to be together, mending several relationships in the film.

Robbie and Jessica are also moved by Cal’s speech, Jessica gives Robbie her photos to get him through high school and they also fully reconcile. The many relationships in the film satisfy the modern audience’s need for diversity, and they widen the audience able to relate to the film. The movie ends happily, with the main couple – Emily and Cal – staying together. The romantic comedies have always been popular because they are continuously evolving and reflect the attitudes and values of the time and people.

Throughout Crazy, Stupid, Love, although the plot turns away from the archetypal characteristics of this genre, it also conforms in some ways. The exposition is largely atypical, and throughout the film both conventional and unconventional problems amongst the characters are introduced. There are many grand gestures because there are several relationships in the film, another uncharacteristic aspect of the film. Crazy, Stupid, Love finishes on a light-hearted note, with the somewhat stereotypical reconciliation sequence bringing the film to an appealing close.

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