Lars and the Real Girl
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Movie Reviews of Lars and the Real Girl
Movie Review: "All the Lonely People"
Summary: 5 Stars
(4.5 *'s) Lars Lindstrom has all the foibles one sometimes associates with a ventriloquist. Socially inept and insecure, every encounter with even loved ones is full of awkwardness and fumbling. He has difficulty expressing himself and relating to others. At home he lives in the mother-in-law house (or garage as they say) next to his brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and sister-in-law Karen (Emily Mortimer). One night a well-meaning Karen tackles him on the driveway to get him to stay for dinner. Needless to say he is almost traumatized by her good intentions. Work is as pedestrian as it gets: He works in a cubicle doing work on the computer for an unknown company. Co-worker Marla (Kelli Gardner) shows an interest in him, but even her overtures leave him flummoxed. Another co-coworker is friendly, but offers him his favorite porn. That is until he introduces him to his latest offering from "Real Doll.dot.com". Anatomically correct, the life-size doll gives Lars an idea.
Coming home to dinner once again, Lars is beaming about his new girlfriend. Gus and Karen are also beaming, truly enthusiastic and proud. Until they meet Bianca, the "real doll" who is seated with a conversing Lars. Lars is transformed. His speech is confident; his cheeks are reddened; and his outlook is happy. First comes shock; then comes acceptance. Not quite knowing what to do, Lars is so believable that they start to believe it too. They have him see a therapist (Patricia Clarkson), the general practitioner in their small Northern Wisconsin town, and the pastor gathers his flock together. Everyone starts to make jokes, but eventually they go along with someone who is truly delusional. Bianca starts to become real.
Billed as a comedy, `Lars and the Real Girl' is too often sad to be funny. Though profound and heartwarming, the laughs are often embarrassing because the situations of the protagonist are awkward. They elicit our sympathy. This isn't to say the film isn't a gem because it is. In spite of all temptations to pigeon hole this movie as cheesy or a screwball comedy, all the right components come together to make `Lars and the Real Girl' a wonderful little film and truly one of the best of the year. Without serendipity, this movie could have easily been a disaster.
(The extras are short but sweet: "The Real Story of Lars and the Real Girl" (10:11) is worthy for the "real" affection the cast has for the film with reflections by Oscar nominated screenwriter, Nancy Oliver, and a specially articulate director (Craig Gillespie). 'A Real Leading Lady' (5:55) features Ryan Gosling ad libbing facetiously with his co-star Bianca about making the film. The deleted "Bathtub" scene is impossibly short, clocking in less than a minute--but the written explanation by the director is insightful. The rest are trailers.)
Movie Review: A beautiful film about love and acceptance
Summary: 5 Stars
I had heard about this film when it first came out in the theatres and was very curious about it. With the release of the DVD, I decided to check it out and am so glad I did. What a truly beautiful film.
While the premise of a man who brings a love-doll into his world as his "girlfriend" may indeed sound absurd, it made me think of a child who utilizes the notion of an invisible friend to express their innermost longings. Lars is painfully shy, having been raised by an emotionally distant father who nursed a lifelong heartache, and so any kind of human contact or interaction is absolutely painful to Lars. Ryan Gosling expresses this beautifully. I don't think I've ever seen a performance like it! His pain and loneliness were absolutely palpable and I could feel it through the screen. Truly exceptional.
One reviewer remarked on the absurdity of the situation: Why doesn't anyone force Lars to wake up? Well, his brother, Gus, played with easy-going humor and humanity by Paul Schneider, does try to bring Lars back to reality right in the beginning, but Lars doesn't hear him. Instead, he only hears "Bianca," the love-doll who makes human interaction much easier for him.
To get Lars help, Gus and his wife (played by the lovely Emily Mortimer) take Bianca to the doctor because they say she looks a little under the weather. The doctor is also a psychiatrist, played with ease and grace by the always amazing Patricia Clarkson (this woman is a lesson in acting - how she just listens and waits and lets information wash over her - she is brilliant). The doctor encourages Lars and Bianca to come in for weekly check-ups while subtly administering to the real issue of Lars' need to emotionally heal.
Something I found charming was how everyone in the film plays along with Lars' delusion, even the girl who has a crush on him at work (a charmingly gawky Kelli Garner). Of course, not everyone in this small town is keen to play along at first. There are some folks who naturally balk at this. But everyone slowly begins to accept "Bianca" because they care for and are trying to showing their acceptance of Lars.
Small towns are an interesting thing unto themselves. Everyone knows everybody else's business, and because they all have a soft spot for the painfully shy Lars, he's like a baby bird everyone hopes will get strong enough to leave the nest. Because of "Bianca," Lars blooms, and the real excitement of the film starts to bubble. As he begins to release his pent-up emotions, he beings to try to make human contact. And the real question emerges: Will Lars be strong enough to meet The Real Girl of his dreams? Watch this movie and find out.
Definitely worth a repeat viewing.
Movie Review: A Wonderul Film with a Beautiful Message
Summary: 5 Stars
Maybe like me you had the following thoughts when you heard about this film: "A love story about a guy who falls in love with a sex doll? Yuck! I'm not going to watch a piece of trash move like that!" Or something similar.
My wife of all people actually convinced me to give this film a chance. I'm glad I did. Otherwise I would have missed out on one of the most touching and heart warming films I've seen in a long time.
Indeed, the premise of the film does not do the message of the film justice. Yes, it's about a guy who buys a sex doll online and falls in love with her. But is so not what you think.
Ryan Gosling plays Lars and this might be his best performance yet. He blew me away in Half Nelson, but his talent has never been more obvious as it is here. Lars is obviously a troubled and mysterious young man and Gosling completely sells this character. Never do we doubt that Lars truly is in love with Bianca (the doll) throughout the film. As we discover more about Lars and the source of his problems, Gosling shines even more causing us to have nothing but love and compassion for this deeply troubled character.
The real beauty in this story is found in the love that Lars' family and community surrounds him with. Not fully understanding his illness, they all work together to treat Bianca like a real person in order to help Lars deal with the delusions he is fighting against. These are truly the nicest people on the planet, and some might think this is too unrealistic or over the top. However, I will admit that it worked for me and not once did I doubt the sincerity of these completely unselfish people. There are also several funny and slightly uncomfortable moments throughout the film where the townsfolk create various ways to make Bianca one of their own. Even Lars's church family welcomes Bianca in to their midst to show support to this man they love so much.
As Lars comes to grips with his struggles we are treated with several soul stirring scenes of a lost character finding hope and redemption. The personal breakthroughs he makes are wonderfully inspiring and will bring tears of joy and laughter. The ending is perfect and brilliant, leaving us with the closure we long for throughout the film.
So am I really going to recommend a movie about a guy who falls in love with a sex doll? No way. I'm going to recommend a movie about a deeply troubled soul who finds hope and redemption through the overwhelming love that flows out of the people in his life. Don't be turned off by the off the wall premise or by what you think this move is about. This is truly a wonderful film with a beautiful message. I'm so glad that for once I didn't listen to myself.
Movie Review: A Potentially Silly Premise for a Story Becomes a Touching, Tender Film
Summary: 5 Stars
Were anyone to suggest that a 'romance' between a guy and a blowup doll could become one of the more sensitive films of the year, it would be cause for derision - that is, before viewing LARS AND THE REAL GIRL. The improbable story was written by Nancy Oliver (the writer of many episodes of the TV series 'Six Feet Under') and directed by Craig Gillespie who gathered a particularly strong cast of actors to present this examination of compassion and love for an emotionally injured young man by small town folks, reminding us that caring for each other is still a highly regarded value.
Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling) survived a tough childhood only to become a loner terrified of emotional and tactile contact. He lives in the garage of his deceased parents' home while his brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and pregnant sister-in-law Karin (Emily Mortimer) live in the main house. Despite Karin's pleadings to be part of the family, Lars prefers to keep to himself. At his job his co-workers include Margo (Kelli Garner), who is more than a little attracted to the quiet and strangely distant Lars, and a fellow who finds ' life-size love dolls' on the internet. Lars orders one of the dolls and when 'Bianca' arrives, Lars finally has a girlfriend to share his loneliness. He introduces Bianca to Gus and Karin who find the situation strange, but at the same time see the happiness in Lars that has been missing. They encourage Lars and Bianca to see a doctor Margo (Patricia Clarkson) who plays along with the concept that Lars finds Bianca real, and encourages Gus and Karin to be supportive. As it ends up the entire little town accepts Bianca and she is introduced to doing good deeds and be a vital part of the town, all through the kindness of people who love the 'delusional' Lars and care only for his happiness. How Lars gradually finds his way into the real world and copes with the understanding of his need for Bianca, the story comes to a tender ending, one that never for a moment feels like a sellout but maintains the dignity of all of the characters in the story.
This is a fine and thoughtful exploration of the needs we all have for understanding, compassion, and acceptance, and while there are some very humorous moments in this well-written story, the overall message is one of gentle love. Ryan Gosling is so fine an actor that he makes this rather complex character understandable and gains our empathy. The supporting cast is equally excellent - especially Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer and Paul Schneider. Highly recommended viewing, this is a DVD many will want to own for repeated viewings. Grady Harp, April 08
Movie Review: Strange premise - but a wonderful movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first heard the premise of this movie, I thought it to be absurd - especially the shocking idea of a sex doll being a co-star of the movie. However, despite the doll's illicit beginnings, this movie is chaste to the core.
Lars and the Real Girl is a story of a man who wants to be a man but has too many issues to deal with. Showing and receiving affection is extremely hard for him and actually causes him pain. And despite all those around him who genuinely care for him, his brother and sister-in-law included, their displays of affection for him only cause him to retreat further into himself - and they don't see it.
So what does Lars do? He creates himself a girlfriend by ordering a custom made sex doll and calls her Bianca. She's from Brazil and uses a wheel chair. Bianca becomes the object of Lars affection - all very chaste - but funny and absurd when you first see it. This is how Lars copes with his inadequacies and protects himself.
Bianca causes quite the stir, of course, and while the community first are shocked by this, they come together and play along with Lars' delusion out of their love for him. Even Margo, the real girl who truly likes Lars gracefully participates in the delusion out of respect and fondness for him.
Before long, the whole community embraces Bianca as one of her own. She gets a makeover and she volunteers at different organizations. And as Bianca is off gallivanting with the community, Lars begins to culminate a relationship and cope with his feelings for Margo. Eventually, this begins the heartbreaking rift with his delusion with Bianca...one that ripples through the family and community as well. You can't help but cheer on Lars as he struggles to emerge from his delusion and begin his real life romance with the real girl.
There's so much to this movie it's hard to categorize. It is a comedy, it is a romance, it is a tragedy (of sorts) and a triumph, it's a feel-good movie. Each and every actor in this movie played their roles extremely well - even Bianca, who isn't even alive, was a perfect cast. Kudos!
This movie makes one wish to live in such a small town where everyone knows your name, your quirks, and still loves you all the same. Does such a place exist?
Finally, I want to know where I can get (or make) that adorable knit cap that Bianca wore. LOL!