Home > Movies > Movie Review > Lars and the Real Girl

Lars and the Real Girl

A man's love for his doll is sweeter than most onscreen romances between people

By Matt Pais

October 12, 2007

Critic's Rating:

• Email
• Print View
• Share
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Google
  • Reddit
  • Mixx
  • Mister Wong
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • Yahoo
• Add To Favorites
• Add to playlist

Lars (Ryan Gosling), to the dismay of his brother (Paul Schneider) and his brother's wife (Emily Mortimer), brings home a full-size, mail-order doll as his girlfriend. (For those needing a mental picture, the doll looks a little like the beautiful, toothy Amanda from the reality show "Age of Love.") Not given much of a choice, Lars' co-workers and the rest of the Wisconsin small town play along and treat Lars' girlfriend, Bianca, as if she's real.

Big question: Is this offbeat dramedy aiming to uncover the root of loneliness and delusion or just point a finger at an outcast?

Catch it: The cast of Gosling, Schneider, Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson as Lars' doctor is more perfect than anything you can order on the Internet. Lars has identifiable issues—related to the death of his mother at a young age and his fear of being touched—but the movie reminds us that while everyone does things that might be commonly perceived as weird, hardly anyone wants to be talked out of doing it.

Skip it: If you don't want to hear one of Lars' co-workers gripe, "I wish I had a woman that couldn't talk." We don't advise trying this line out with your significant other.

Bottom line: The movie is almost too nice in having everyone play along with Lars, but what's impressive is that "Lars and the Real Girl" isn't out to laugh at a weirdo. With dignity and heart, it's out to explore the difference between an eccentricity, a phase and a problem.

Bonus: If you're struggling to convince someone to come over to eat, Karin (Mortimer) proves that tackling your desired dinner companion works wonders! Be sure to wash your hands before the meal.

You will be prompted to register or log in when posting.

Comment

Please note that by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.