Steve Carell and Julianne Moore are shown in a scene from Warner Bros. film Crazy, Stupid, Love.Ben Glass/The Associated Press
Number eight on the Conservative Party website's list of "10 things you might not know about Prime Minister Stephen Harper" is that "he loves movies."
"Though the office leaves his free time extremely limited, Prime Minister Harper loves to take in a move with Ben and Rachel when he can," it says.
And on Monday night, he could. Just days after returning from a week-long trade visit to Latin America, Mr. Harper was spotted at a local Ottawa theatre – not with his kids, but with long-time family friend and Conservative staffer Colin McSweeney.
The pair slipped in to watch Crazy, Stupid, Love, the Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling film about the disintegration of a marriage.
Mr. Carrell is a husband whose wife, played by Julianne Moore, wants a divorce after she had an affair. Her character has basically become bored in the marriage, accusing her husband of being boring and letting himself go.
Mr. Gosling, who was born in London, Ont., is the younger womanizer who helps Mr. Carrell rediscover himself.
Despite the dark subject, the movie is hilarious and there are lots of unexpected twists and turns.
The Prime Minister is often seen around town at the movies. Although he's been accused of being anti-arts after he dismissed black-tie galas as elitist – and with disastrous results – during the 2008 election campaign, he often takes one or both of his children to performances at the National Arts Centre.
Last month, he took his daughter Rachel to the Lion King. He has also brought his kids to other musicals and concerts at the NAC, including one by Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams.
His favourite movies, according to the Tory website? Early Coen Brothers effort Raising Arizona, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation and Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanours.