A plastically real and hilariously warm love story.
Written by: Nancy Oliver.
Directed by: Craig Gillespie.
Starring: Ryan Gosling.
As opening credits fade, Lars (Ryan Gosling) is seen watching from a window. His neighbour, Karin (Emily Mortimer), comes in and invites him for lunch. He promises and never shows up. Gus (Paul Schneider), Karin's husband, wins 5$ bet with her. Lars goes to the office. Doesn't talk with anybody. Lars comes home and sits on the bed and is frozen in a stare on the empty wall. Six weeks later Lars knocks on Gus and Karin's door and invites them to meet his girlfriend, Bianca, who is half Brazilian half danish, and bound to a wheel chair. She is religious and so Lars and Bianca decide not to sleep on the same bed. If this isn't intriguing enough then what happens after that is hilariously shocking. Lars is in love with a DOLL. Is it shocking now?
First time adventure by Director Craig Gillespie and first writing for the screen by Nancy Oliver (also the writer of "Six Feet Under"), Lars and the Real Girl is a complete knockout. How much ever "anatomically correct" their "plastic" creation is, it is absolutely alive. Why is Lars with the Girl? Will his neighbours accept this? Where is this all going? Let me say something, you will believe in Lars.
Ryan Gosling is FANTASTIC! Its about time Hollywood needs a new face. Unfortunately he isn't that new. Previously acted in Half Nelson (Academy Award nomination for Best Actor) and Fracture, Ryan is perhaps using his potential to push himself farther than his own imagination. This is the best performance by an actor in a long time. He is simply brilliant. His conversations with Bianca, his dancing in the party, his "in love" smirks and the ability to converse as humoristically anti-social as possible is unbelievably amazing. This is a very well written character. This is a sure oscar nomination performance and possibly a win.
Nancy Oliver and Craig Gillespie have raised a point that perhaps goes to the very core of any social system. We love someone as a friend, a brother, a sister or a son and we love what they love. We never mention about the unusual things they do. Our love binds us to them and persuades us to care. Every single factor in any social circle is touched in this beautiful tale. This is a little tricky explanation of how this concept attacks to the very basics. If you remember Sideways and if you felt completely different about "Old Wines" then think about this. When Paul Giamatti and Virginia Madsen are talking about their penchant about wines, they explain in a realization that they are actually talking about themselves. The wines they talk represent them. Now that is a best example of screen writing basics exploring to the very core. You can talk about wines and convey your feelings to the person next to you. The way Lars and the Real girl screenplay attacks to the very core of the social system is just the same. Situations are created and questions are answered. This is a story about true love. Moreover it is about us. Our ideas, our faiths, our hatred, our fears, our laughter, our tears and our urge to be human.
Well, don't you want to know what happens to Lars and his Real Girl?
My Rating: 9/10.
