Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

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 Dagmar (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

Lars lives in one of the snowed-in Northern states; his town could be next to Lake Wobegone. He's painfully shy, in an utterly literal sense of the term he won't even visit his brother and sister in law in the house adjacent to where he lives. Maybe it's no suprise that he orders a customized, anatomically detailed love doll.

The surprise is that it comes to life for him. Everyone else sees a slightly creepy adult toy, but he brings "Bianca" everywhere to dinner with his brother and sister in law, to a Christmas party with his co-workers, even to church. He concocts an elaborate fantasy about why she says so little, why she needs a wheelchair, even why she needs to borrow clothing. A psychologist tries to address his delusion but, while it works itself out, recommends humoring him. And so, the entire community does. If they're going to treat her as real, they're going to do it right.

Therein lies the quirky charm of this movie an entire town rallying around one of their own, playing their part in his odd drama. If that's what's best for him and there's no harm in it, they'll do it. A few balk, of course, but only a few and not for long. They accept Bianca fully into their community, sometimes to Lars's dismay.

The happy ending (happy enough) makes this into a movie about redemption, but that over-simplifies this complex film. The premise looks like some modern-day fairy tale. Once set in motion, the movie carries itself forward with understated kindness, maybe even nostalgia for a small-town closeness, whether that closeness ever existed or not.

-wiredweird

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(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.)

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Lars is a quiet and introverted kind of guy. He goes to work every day then he comes home to the garage apartment he lives in, adjacent to the house he grew up in and is now owned by his brother and sister-in-law.

As his pregnant sister-in-law's due date gets closer, Lars seems to emotionally and physically withdraw from his family and co-workers. Preferring to remain in the comforting small walls of his garage apartment, he starts garnering the concern of his sister-in-law. She fears he is too lonely and when all her attempts to include him and spend more time with him fail it seems all hope is lost. That is till he shows up to dinner one night asking if he can bring his new girlfriend. The excitement and relief Lars' family feels is short lived when his girlfriend ends up being an anatomically correct love doll he has named Bianca.

At the recommendation and guidance of their small town doctor/psychiatrist, Lars' family goes along with his delusion, and then manages to convince the entire town to do the same.

This movie had me laughing out loud and sobbing big ugly tears, I was charmed completely. The situations involving Bianca were equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. I have never wanted to hug a movie character more than I have wanted to hug Lars; my heart went out to him completely.

I have a friend who hated this movie for the exact same reasons I enjoyed it so much. I loved the fact that the entire town rallied to welcome Bianca, even though they thought it was nuts, just to help a member of the community. I loved all the zany adventures Bianca went on, and I loved the town they lived in. I loved the fact that it was far fetched, but mostly I loved it because that's how a town SHOULD behave. People should go out of there way and do things to help someone in need once in awhile.

With the help of the community, a wonderful doctor, his family and most importantly, Bianca, Lars heals. It's an emotional road to get there, but well worth the journey.

Cherise Everhard, July 2008

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Those are my people! That's my home land! Every face looks like one of my family, including Lars, who looks like a goofier me at the same age. The houses, the furniture, the downtown shops, the costumes, the church, the lake it's all museum-quality Upper Midwest. Minnesota to me, since that's where I'm from. Only the accents and the dialogue in general don't sound Minnesotan, and I kinda wonder why not.

Given that we're all Scandihoovians together here, I can make some sense out of this film by thinking of it as a Hans Christian Andersen tale, a lot like The Little Mermaid or The Faithful Tin Soldier. Bittersweet, artificial and witty, and solidly moralistic at the core. Otherwise, the improbability of the family's and town's response to Lars's delusion (that's the heart of the plot) would seem too improbable to accept, even on theatrical terms of "willing suspension of disbelief." I mean, we're a well-meaning folk, we Minnesotans, and we make trying to be nice the local interpretation of the Golden Rule, but we aren't THAT nice!

Ryan Gosling should get an Oscar for making an impossible role almost fully believable. Of course, Bianca should be a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actress.

In the end, it's "awful heart-warming", as my Uncle Einar would say, noncommittally.

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