GRADE: A

I always feel better when I sniff out a good film from the sea of previews that hit the web each year. So I’ll just brag for a second about my Crazy, Stupid Love. prediction. The movie with a stupendous cast turned out to be more than just a slate of talented actors — Crazy, Stupid, Love. is the best film I have seen this year. I’m serious. This film was just slightly better than X-Men: First Class. I loved every second and highly recommend any movie fan get out and see this one in the theaters.

The title of this film fits perfectly with the way this movie plays out. Sometimes love makes people do crazy and stupid things, and that is put on full display in this film. The characters, whether young or old, all hit the bumps and roadblocks that come from being in love. The film’s focus, Steve Carell’s character Cal and his wife Julianne Moore’s character Emily, have lost the passion for each other and their marriage suffers. Carell kills his role — brilliant work.

Ryan Gosling’s character Jacob can work any night scene and take home any female he desires. He takes Cal under his wing to show him the ropes of the single world and the two develop a friendship. One night Jacob meets Hannah, played by Emma Stone, and as he says, “She is a game changer.” The tables of mentor and apprentice are turned when he seeks out Carell for advice on relationships. But by far the most fun arc to watch is the son of Emily and Cal. He is in love with his babysitter three years his elder — and he is not shy about his feelings as he publicly tells the babysitter he loves her on multiple occasions.

The charm in this film comes from the compelling characters and their intertwined stories. They are all flawed, and this movie does not hide that for one second. Their mistakes drive the narrative like most romantic comedies — the characters discover the void created by love or love lost, and fight to fill this hole. All three love stories are fantastic until the end. Not all are given the same amount of screen time, which hurt Crazy, Stupid, Love. from being perfect. I really wanted more from the Gosling/Stone relationship, but, you can’t always get everything you want.

Another thing that made this movie soar was the flawless production led by two directors, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. Having two directors seamlessly shoot a film is evidence enough of how well made Crazy, Stupid, Love. is. Add perfectly paced editing taken to new heights with the dynamite soundtrack, and this film was a definite success in all regards.

In closing, I would like to make readers aware of an extremely young actor who just hit my radar. Jonah Bobo, the son of Cal and Emily, portrayed the character in this story who seemed to understand love the most — even amongst the adults, he was usually the one dishing up well articulated advice. His performance was the only one that outshone Carell.

Overall, Crazy, Stupid Love. was funny and had heart. Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, the aforementioned Jonah Bobo, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, and the endearing Analeigh Tipton, are all dynamite in Crazy, Stupid, Love. The cast alone makes this movie worthwhile — the scripted story makes it one of 2011′s best.

What Should You Do? The unconventional nature of this film should impress even those who don’t have an appreciation for a romantic comedy. Definitely see it.

{Note that I correctly wrote the title of the film throughout the review. Yes, the title has two commas and a period. Crazy, Stupid, Love.}

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery