Ryan Gosling has kind of been the younger version of Johnny Depp; a guy who burst on the scene and seemed like a matinee idol but then seemed to do everything in his power to avoid that fate. Granted, in today's Hollywood, avoiding mainstream films just means that you're taking actual quality scripts over the overhyped crap out of the studios but I've still been waiting for Gosling to make his run at the A-list. "Crazy Stupid Love" could be the movie that pushes him closer. Lord knows that the ladies will be loving him but he is really one action picture away from the A-list. I'm kind of surprised that he hasn't been rumored for the new Borne movie since he'd be a surprise action choice, just as Matt Damon was when he was originally tabbed for the role.

Also, this movie could be what moves Emma Stone into big girl roles. Don't get me wrong, I loved her in "Easy A" but it's time to graduate from those roles and play her age (she's 23). On the other hand, this film does seem to keep up the illusion that Marissa Tomei somehow couldn't land someone better than an average guy. She is one of the sexier actresses in Hollywood yet she's been paired with guys like Steve Carrell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, etc. I mean, thank you Hollywood for giving me hope but seriously... Also, could we get her a lead role already?

On the other hand, two It Guys who probably won't see a bump are Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, who are squaring off in Warrior. I've been waiting for the first great MMA fight but this doesn't seem to be it. It doesn't help that the trailer takes a silly premise - two brothers fight in a MMA tourney and, against the odds, both end up in the finals - and makes it stand out by having the announcers literally explain what is going on. On the bright side, Gavin O'Connor's "Pride and Glory" did grow on me after a first disappointing viewing but I'm still not seeing this film being the one that really puts MMA on the map. At least it looks like a step forward from "Fighting".