Directors John Requa and Glen Ficarra have admitted they were concerned about the quality of their 2011 romcom, Crazy, Stupid, Love, because the cast and crew were having too much fun on set. The film, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month, starred Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, and Kevin Bacon.
Requa recalled telling Kevin Bacon during the five-day shoot of a final backyard scene, "Kevin, we're worried we're having too much fun." He explained the common belief that having fun on set can lead to a poor film, while a difficult experience often results in a great one. Bacon, 68, reportedly assuaged their fears, stating, "Nah, it's not true. Don't believe that."
The directors remembered that Bacon's reassurance made them feel better, as everyone got along well, leading to a lot of improvisation and "goofing around." Co-director Ficarra added that while many experimental takes and improv moments were cut to keep the movie under two hours, they believe they kept "a lot of the cream of it."
The film was a box office success, grossing $145.1 million worldwide against a $50 million budget. Steve Carell, who also produced the film, previously confessed in March that he initially disliked the title, which was ultimately chosen by Warner Bros.