Film Reviews
By Rama Gaind
CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE: Hilarity in heartbreak is found when Cal (Steve Carell), dumped by his wife (Julianne Moore), gets a manly makeover from Jacob (Ryan Gosling) in a darkly funny ensemble piece.
In addition, Jacob finds himself falling for sprightly lawyer Hannah (Emma Stone).
An appealing cast, an incisive script and some pleasant lines stop the ensemble love examination to tumble into a banal absurdity.
Co-directors, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, save it from crumbling. At times unbelievable, it provides intense entertainment with astute takes on infatuation and affection.
NORWEGIAN WOOD: Overlong it is, but Haruki Murakami’s novel of love and loss among Japanese students in the 1960s is a touching film.
THE CUP: Picking up in the home stretch, Damien Oliver’s moving Melbourne Cup victory gets insipid handling.
FOOTLOOSE: A lacklustre remake of Kevin Bacon’s 1984 hit, this film sees young people disobeying rules in a town where teenage dancing is banned.
THE SMURFS: kids will enjoy the antics of the little blue people in New York while parents will appreciate the gags aimed at them.
