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Lars and the Real Girl: Get Thee to Your Netflix Queue
I'm far more likely to rhapsodize about TV than movies because...well, to put it bluntly, some TV shows are so much better than most movies. But I had my proverbial pants charmed right off me this weekend by one of the most appealing and genuine movies I've seen in a very, very long while and it is well and truly deserving of rhapsodizing. So I am.
When this film came out last year, I was intrigued by the reviews. But not enough, apparently, to get off my ass and into the theatre, so I'm a bit late to the party. But, to be honest, this is the kind of quiet little independent movie perfectly suited for at home viewing and I hope it finally finds its audience. (To be fair, the movie's promotional campaign was a disaster and did little to help it. A raucous comedy it's not. Nor is it a sexcapade.)
Ryan Gosling stars as a painfully introverted young man living in a small town somewhere in the frozen north. His "normal" brother lives with his pregnant wife in the family home, while Lars lives alone - very alone - in the garage. Despite attempts to draw him out by well meaning family and friends, Lars remains firmly in his shell.
Until Bianca comes to town. Bianca - or so Lars names her - is one of those anatomically accurate and totally creepy "real dolls" sold on the Internet. Upon her arrival, Lars suddenly announces to his brother and his wife, that he has a visitor. Only she isn't real. Something Lars doesn't seem to know.
I don't want to give away much more than that, because this movie truly is a delightful and charming story featuring its own share of surprising twists and turns. But mostly it's about family. And caring. And just what lengths the denizens of a small town might go to in order to help one of their own.
The cast - every single one of them - is fantastic. And the script? I remain amazed that it wasn't honored by an Oscar nomination at the very least.
Movies as real as this one are all too rare. And in case you can't tell from this oh-so-rare movie blog from a TV girl, I flippin' loved it.
Sandy: Thanks for recommending this movie. i've been on the fence about it,
thanks to the lame ad campaign you mentioned. It's getting harder to find
movies that tell interesting stories. I can't wait to see this one.
Hope you like it as much as I did, PM. It's kind of hard to analyze just
why it struck such a chord with me, but it certainly did.
Sandy, I watched this last night after reading your review. I found Ryan
Gosling portayal of a confused young man, yet loveable....genius. Am I
wrong, but in the previews when the movie was in the theatres, did the doll
become real at one point? Anyway, it was wonderful when the town came
together to support him. A different, but very "feel good" movie.
xina, I'm so glad you liked it. I actually bought the DVD this weekend I
liked it so much. I think what appeals to me so profoundly is that it's
ultimately a very hopeful film about good people, without even once getting
sappy. And I completely agree that Ryan Gosling was utterly fantastic --
it's the kind of quiet performance that's very tough to do. As I watched
it for the second time this weekend after I knew where it was going to go,
his emotional journey is always there in his performance. And I don't
recall the doll ever coming to life in the promos, but I do remember
thinking that the TV spots made it seem like a raucous sex comedy. Which
it s-o-o-o is not. Anyway, once again I'm glad you enjoyed it -- this is
the kind of movie that makes me really want to spread the word.