The first thing to remember about Crazy Stupid Love is not to classify it as a romcom. Yes, the plot is centred on romantic relationships, but its comedy far outweighs the romcom elements.

The casting of Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Kevin Bacon in one film is faultless, and the film is almost equally so. With the release date the end of September, and because Steve Carell gets equal, if not more, screen time than the nearly photoshopped perfection of Ryan Gosling and his abs, means that it hopefully won’t restrict its audience to couples of groups of girls and will actually remind people that a romcom means romantic comedy, and doesn’t always equate to chick flick.

Steve Carell plays Cal, a married man with three kids, whose wife (Moore) announces one evening in the middle of a restaurant she wants a divorce, and has cheated on him with a work colleague named David Lindhagen (Bacon). Devastated and friendless now that all their married friends have been forced to pick sides, he finds himself alone and drinking Vodka cranberries every night in a local bar. It’s there he meets Jacob (Gosling), a suave and smooth talking womaniser who decides to take pity on Cal, take him under his wing and teach him how to become a man. While tutoring Cal, Jacob meets the only woman to resist his charms, Hannah (Stone).

The calibre of actors in this film is evident enough that you’re going to enjoy this film without a doubt. This year has been one of Gosling’s best; along with this film his rap sheet includes the award winning films Blue Valentine and Drive, and the forthcoming film The Ideas of March, while Emma Stone who has stunned audiences in past films Superbad, Zombieland and Easy A stars in the highly anticipated films The Help and The Amazing Spiderman. Although well known for The Office, Carell has shown his comedic side in films from The 40 Year Old Virgin, Get Smart, and Date Night. Not only are the adult actors superb, but the kids steal their fair share of scenes as Jonah Bobo plays son Robbie, hopelessly in love with his babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton) which produces a very amusing side plot, and is determined to get his parents back together.

One thing that makes Crazy Stupid Love stand out is that it has a twist. Not an earth shattering changes the whole meaning of the film twist, but an I Did Not See This Coming I Might Die Of Laughter twist that ensured everyone in the cinema was doubled over with laughter. The chemistry between Carell and Gosling is utterly fantastic, and the whole cast just seemingly fit together.

The script is good, but in other actors hands this film could have gone a completely different way. As it stands Crazy Stupid Love is an example of how comedy and romance can work together to produce a fantastic and utterly enjoyable film you’ll want to watch again the moment you leave the cinema.

[Rating:4/5]