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Friday, 28 March 2008 |
 Starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer; Directed by Craig Gillespie
Nancy Oliver, a frequent scribe on TV’s Six Feet Under, penned this extraordinary dramatic comedy. Set in the kind of small town favoured by indie directors (think Broken Flowers meets Northern Exposure), Lars and the Real Girl studies relationships: Lars and his sister-in-law, Lars and the townsfolk, Lars and his new girlfriend.
Played with eye-catching, button-downed conviction by Gosling (Half Nelson), Lars is an awkward, shy and troubled young man who ignores the concerns of those around him. Paradoxically, his desperate need for a meaningful relationship leads to the internet, where he meets Bianca. The problem is, Bianca is a blow-up doll.
Lars and the Real Girl is a wonderful, erudite examination of delusion and the instinctual kindness of love. As Lars re-engages with his community he forces them to face their obligations to help this sweet-centered boy and his girl, real or otherwise. So much is on offer that, regrettably, Gillespie steer Lars toward Nora Ephron territory by the film’s end, muting some of the story’s thunder. Thankfully, it’s a minor mis-step in this otherwise heart-warming drama.
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