If I start out this review by telling you that Lars and the Real Girl is a film about a man who falls in love, legitimately in love, with a sex doll, most of you will yell 'pass' and move on.
Well, yes. It is about a man who falls in love with a sex doll. But don't 'x' out just yet.
Lars is a fine film, sweet and intelligent and filled with the notion of putting mankind's best, most noble features on display. It is, and I say this with only a hint of wise-ass, the kind of movie Frank Capra would have made had he been allowed to work with sex toys.
Lars (Ryan Gosling) is an emotionally stunted 28 year old man leaving in the garage of the house he owns with his brother. He is the victim of a father who shunned him and an older brother who ran away to escape that fate, leaving Lars alone to face the silence of their dysfunctional household.
Now, as an adult, Lars is a functioning member of society, and a surprisingly popular one. He is viewed as honest and sweet, but he does not reciprocate their affection; he can't. The touch of another human brings him physical pain and his social skill set is akin to that of a hermit.
One day he announces he has a new girlfriend. Her name is Bianca and she is a life-like 'love doll' that he genuinely believes to be real. The delusion is so pervasive that Lars falls well and truly in love.
Under the direction of a psychologist, ably played by Patricia Clarkson, the townsfolk surprisingly embrace her. By doing so, it's believed he will in time overcome his own creation and resume 'normal' life. Along the way Lars begins to have feelings for a co-worker, and an odd love triangle begins.
The townsfolk are the cornerstone of the film. It embraces the idea that, even in this day and age, a community would rally around one of its fallen members and go beyond the limits of ordinary kindness to try and bring him back from the brink. Would it happen? Who knows?
Sure, it's over the top. But each time you think it's going to go too far over that line it pulls back and skips in another direction. The acting is superb and the script deftly orchestrates Lars' building desire to return to the world and rejoin life.
Honesty a grand little movie. Not a comedy, despite its billing, and not a romance or a drama either . . something, well, something a little of all of the above.
4 stars out of 5.
This is one of the movies that I want to see. :) Estela
ReplyDeleteAs you are a fan of romantic comedies and the slightly off-beat, I wonder if you have seen John Newcombe's *Best Man in Grass Creek* ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0216569/ ) - not that it is on the same level as *Lars*.
ReplyDeleteYour review of *Lars and the Real Girl* reminds me of *Eating Raoul* - which I am amazed to have watched with my father.
:^) Jan the Gryphon
Wasn't going to order this one from Netflex but I guess I will give it a try since you gave it 4 stars. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJoyce
We just saw this movie last night!! Jesse hated it. I kinda liked it. :-P
ReplyDelete~Amy
Sounds good. A bit like Fargo maybe? ..where the town, not one character, made the movie. I liked that one :)
ReplyDeletehave a good one~
~Bernadette
I have that one set to get next from Netflix and now am looking forward to it more. I heard it was pretty good.
ReplyDeleteJulie