***1/2 Crazy, Stupid Love (July 2011) – Rental

Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone. After 25 years of marriage, Emily tells Cal she’s had an affair and wants a divorce. He moves out and meets Jacob, a ladies’ man, who offers to coach him in the single life.

She says: The base plot doesn’t sound like much to work with, but this movie was very entertaining. It was often laugh-at-loud funny (in the right places) and featured a number of plot twists I did not expect, yet seemed to work in retrospect. For so much talk of sex throughout, it wasn’t particularly sexy, but I must say I totally get the Ryan Gosling thing now. Wow.

And, you know, good acting by him, and by all involved in this one.

He says: That was a funny movie! I really liked it. Interesting that the most mature character was probably the 17-year-old girl.