Yes, No, Maybe So: "Crazy Stupid Love"
Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 3:13PM The tradition here at The Film Experience is to break down new movie trailers under Yes, No and Maybe So reactions. It's a way to measure expectations rather than allow good (or bad) marketing to totally control us. But watching the trailer for the new comedy Crazy Stupid Love defeated my critical sensibilities entirely. It left me giddy and "Can I see this today. Please!???"
This single image best sums it up.
It's more for the two thumbs up than for the Tomei, though our thumbs are always up for Marisa, too. But this is one of those rare trailers wherein every new star that appears just ups the pleasure ante.
I guess we should play the game anyway. For consistency's sake.
YES
For so many reasons: Giving Julianne Moore, who has a troublesome track record in comedy, the best joke in a trailer and watching her nail it; Wisely casting Emma Stone, who is too smart to be an easy target as the romantic foil; Asking Ryan Gosling to embrace his inner (and outer) sex god -- we always heartily approve when movies don't ask movie stars to pretend they're less than perfect specimens. Why pretend? Why do you think they're movie stars in the first place; Giving Carell a role that might capitalize on the depth he suggested in Little Miss Sunshine; Throwing a very excitable Marisa Tomei at us when we're already totally excited. This trailer is an embarrassment of YES.
NO
On the other hand, comedy trailers are notorious for giving away all the best jokes. And there's always the danger that this film's sexual politics might veer towards gaybaiting (the straw joke), or super reductive "manliness is the answer" or tired Mars/Venus 'man is self-sabotaging but in the end he always knows best / women are so neurotic' heteronormative schtick that mucks up so many otherwise promising romantic comedies.
MAYBE SO
The "tag" at the end of trailers. This apparently mandatory element is usually handed over to a terribly unfunny joke. But this bit betwen Ryan and Emma is fun.
It's always possible that two hours of Emma being hilarious, Ryan begin charmingly cocky, Julianne being wet eyed funny/sad, Steve being clueless but soulful and Marisa being bouncy and awesome will get old real fast.
Nope.
That didn't work to manage my expectations. I'm still an excited YES.
How about you?
Reader Comments (29)
Oh, yes, yes, yes! Why can't we get more movies like this in the summer?! Or any season, for that matter...
God, this looks like the perfect thing to see on a sweltering August day. I CANNOT WAIT. This summer is actually looking quite good for comedy!
Definite yes. LOVE the twilight joke and I'm always game for Ryan and Emma
YES. A thousand times YES.
OMG BEST TRAILER EVER!!! A+
Yes yes yes, for Gosling in sexy mode or Carrell in thoughtful, restrained mode alone. The two of them together, plus those actresses? Wonderful.
YES. Looks like one of those special romantic comedies that don't come around too often. The pairings are all so perfect - ryan and emma; ryan and steve; steve and julianne; steve and marisa. Love.
Take one part TV star in his first film after leaving his show, one part fantastic actress who can give both comedy and drama in equal measure, one part hunky, versatile actor who's like the James Dean of this generation and one part comedienne on the rise. Heat at 350 degrees. Serves film fanatics everywhere.
i have to say, anything with Ryan gosling piques my interest. this isn't usually my kind fo movie, but i may see it for him only.
My god, yes. And please tell your friend JA at MNPP that we're all looking forward to a post devoted to screen grabs of Gosling from this trailer. The "could you put some clothes on?" moment is, um, well, um...crazy and stupefying.
Yes: Ryan playing a lighter comedy, teamed with the delightful Emma Stone? yes!
No: Since seeing Dan in Real Life, I am not a Steve Carrell fan. Personal opinion only. Already I want Julianne Moore's character to have someone better.
Maybe so: Sure to be more fun and more interesting than most anything else playing.
I like everything except the title.
If I were a producer, I would green light any project that stars Gosling, Tomei, and Moore in the same movie even there is no script yet whatsoever.
I don’t know why but I always enjoy any scene from Moore where she’s talking while crying (Kids Are All Right, Magnolia, Boogie Night, and this trailer)
While we can see that Gosling will steal the whole show probably, I just hope Moore and Tomei have great roles and scenes in this movie.
I'm YES almost all the way on this. The plot seems a little hackneyed and, as you point out, some of the humor (judging from trailer alone) seems potentially iffy. It remains to be seen: will the movie go for the gay jokes and the manliness-above-all moral, or will it take a more nuanced approach?
Luckily I have faith, since Requa & Ficarra did wonders with I Love You, Phillip Morris last year, handling volatile material pretty damn well. And as for every other aspect of this... Moore, Carell, Stone, & (frequently undressed) Gosling all spell out a big YES for me.
Weird that they chose to score the trailer to a 5-year-old Muse song, though. Not that I mind it.
NO- This looks like Hitch Part 2.
seriously - it's like YOU'RE photoshopped
when did ryan gosling get so hot?
par --oh god. i hate it when i do typos in photos. ARGH.
YEEEEEEEEES! Look at this cast! The movie looks like same old romantic comedy but I don't care, I'm too excited about the cast (and Ryan's abs) to care. Also I love any scene Julianne Moore cries and that with Twilight joke? Awesome.
What's wrong with Hitch?
This cast is a definite YES for me. It's funny, in 2006 I gave my personal Best Actor award to Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson, and my personal Best Supporting Actor award to Steve Carrell in Little Miss Sunshine, and now they're together in one movie? That's a dream come true. Also, Julianne Moore never ceases to amaze me, and neither does Marisa Tomei, and I've loved Emma Stone ever since she was in Superbad (in a small role, but she makes it so memorable). I hope they don't release this too late in Mexico, because I really want to see it!!!
I'm a yes but the Gosling-Carell chemistry seemed kinda iffly to me. I do hope for the best, meaning that I care.
YESSS! :)
I'm very hesitant -- to echo Melissa, since she said it best, it looks like Hitch 2: The Revenge of the Sith.
I'm kinda ashamed to admit I'm totally looking forward to this movie.
I'm completely unashamed when it comes to such movies and say, bring it on!
:-)
Melissa, James T and Timothy -- i see these "issues" too now this morning after the initial glow has warn off and once you point them out - er, yeah!
but i think MattyD nails it when he's said it's perfect for a sweltering day in August. At least it appears to be.
whenever i (and others) get too excited about a trailer I always remember that hilarious ONION spoof about "adapting" the trailer into a full length feature. can they pull it off? Will fans of the trailer feel they've been unfaithful and such. super classic skit.
Oh that locker room scene! To be a fly on anything in that room.
So to answer your question . . .
YES, YES, and YES!
This looks like it MIGHT be really stupid, but I'm so seeing it anyway. The Twilight joke was gold, and Ryan all naked in tan is ridiculously awesome, with bonus points for Emma "seriously!?" Stone as bemused audience surrogate. Could be the guilty pleasure of the year, or maybe even actually good.
It looks embarrassing.