When a rom-com hits just right, you know. It’s like every character and every scene has been handcrafted to make you personally spit out your Rosé from laughing too hard or text your BFF that heartwarming quote that you just can’t get out of your head. For me, Crazy, Stupid, Love is that movie.
No, it’s not just because of the scene where Jacob ( Links”>Ryan Gosling) takes his shirt off and Hannah ( Links”>Emma Stone) tells him he looks Photoshopped (but it doesn’t hurt). Crazy, Stupid, Love is right up there with When Harry Met Sally and 10 Things I Hate About You in its storytelling, humor, and the number of profoundly romantic lines that make your heart ache. Unlike many other rom-coms, this film is ironic in its humor and manages to be witty without being cheesy. Also, that twist ending on the backyard mini golf course gets me every time.
More than anything, the movie has a story to tell and a message to send that’s worth hearing no matter what stage of life you’re in. Whether it’s 13-year-old Robbie’s pre-teen crush on his babysitter Jessica, the newfound romance between protagonists Jacob and Hannah, or the complexities of Hannah’s parents Emily (Julianne Moore) and Cal’s (Steve Carrell) divorce, there’s something in this movie for almost everyone. Keep reading to see exactly why the brilliant 2011 film is still worth watching after all these years.