Lars y una chica de verdad

Greetings again from the darkness. Guilt while laughing is an unusual experience ... well except while watching Lars and Bianca. This film is hilarious, touching and insightful. The product of genius writing by Nancy Oliver (Six Feet Under) and solid direction by Craig Gillespie ("Mr. Woodcock"), this film will force you to step back and think about how you treat those who might be a little different or struggle with social interaction.

Ryan Gosling is absolutely amazing as Lars. His character redefines "being in a shell". Wounded by the pain of losing his parents and literally frightened by human touch, Gosling exudes the humanity of a injured child. The real guilty fun starts once Bianca is delivered. Bianca is the anatomically correct molded doll whom Lars treats as a real girlfriend. The ride picks up steam when his relatives and then the entire town elect to play along.

The entire cast is excellent with standout performances by Emily Mortimer ("Match Point"), Paul Schneider, the great Patricia Clarkson as the very wise and very human doctor, and Kelli Garner ("Thumbsucker") looking very homely as the co-worker with a crush on Lars.

Not sure how wide of audience this will find, but I highly recommend to all adults ... it is not a film for kids. Hopefully the academy takes notice of the film, the writing and the acting ... all top notch.

Definitely not a comedy, this is a tear-jerking study of mental health that feels painfully real. Gosling demonstrates such sympathy for his character in a performance of great beauty and simplicity. The story has echoes of the down-home community feel of It's a Wonderful Life or some of the Ealing comedies, such as Passport to Pimlico. Definitely recommended.

Lo and behold, a film that still believes in simple human kindness.

There's been a severe lack of that on our movie and television screens lately, which is why I found "Lars and the Real Girl" utterly irresistible. I imagine this is the kind of movie that's either going to work for you or it's not. I can guarantee that if you go into it and pick apart all the ways in which it's not realistic, you're not going to enjoy it.

Ryan Gosling has rocketed to the top of the list of my favorite contemporary actors. He's given two of the best performances in the last two years: here in "Lars" and last year in "Half Nelson." The success of "Lars and the Real Girl" depends almost entirely on Gosling's ability to sell this character to the audience, and he does so flawlessly. Lars is a sweet teddy bear of a man who also happens to be intensely lonely. He orders a life-size and anatomically correct sex doll and proceeds to make a companion of her, taking her to parties, to church, to family dinners. A psychiatrist (a marvelous, as usual, Patricia Clarkson) tells the family that the best thing they can do for Lars is to encourage his delusion until he works through whatever is causing it; they relay that to the townspeople, who take it to heart. As a result, Lars's "girlfriend" is completely accepted by the town, and even gets elected to the school board.

Ultimately, "Lars" probably isn't very realistic, but isn't it nice to think it could be? That a group of people could be this warm, kind and accepting, simply because they happen to like somebody and want to see him get better. The film is full of wonderful performances from everyone. In addition to Gosling and Clarkson, Emily Mortimer shines as Lars's caring and worried sister-in-law.

It really irritates me that critics were divided on this movie on the basis of it pushing the boundaries of credibility, when they almost unanimously praised "Gone Baby Gone," a film so melodramatic and heavy handed as to be no less implausible, and that goes down as two of the most unpleasant hours I've spent in a movie theatre for a long time. Has our culture now decided that a film about good kind people is too unrealistic to stomach, and that the only movies that ring true are ones about human depravity?

So far, "Lars and the Real Girl" is one of my favorite films of the year.

Grade: A

I just saw this movie last night with friends and I'll admit I'd never heard of it. I knew it was worth watching when I was told Ryan Gosling was in it so I was mildly excited to see it. The first thirty minutes of the film are pretty damn funny and to some, almost hilarious. Very well done comedic acting that is real, believable, and still amazing to watch. Part of what makes the first thirty minutes so funny is because we know about the doll, and we can't wait for the first reactions. After that the story takes a wonderfully surprising turn to a really touching light drama. I was very surprised but I really loved it. A lot of people laughed throughout the film, and I was very much bothered by that. There is a reason this man is pretending that a "sex" doll is a real person, and its a very internal serious pain thats hes going through, which for me, understanding that part of the story, I felt it was mildly inappropriate for people to laugh, but I understood with time. Near the end of the film it gets a little predictable for one, some would say major, plot turn, but not so predictable as to ruin it. About 5 to 10 minutes before it happens you see it coming, but other than that it was superbly acted by Ryan Gosling who has nothing but an incredible career in front of him, and good supporting roles as well. This is a very enjoyable film, which I recommend to anyone and everyone. It really seems to have something for everyone, but be prepared it might make you laugh, cry, or both. Its a very very good movie, and definitely worth seeing in theaters.

There is just no way to explain the plot of this film and not have it sound rather silly and this film is anything but foolish frivolity. I found it utterly charming and carefully and delicately directed. There are moments of belly shaking humor and quiet tears as Ryan Gosling brilliantly evolves from a reclusive soul with the help of a silicone woman and a kind hearted community. I want to know these endearing people. There is a moral point to this film, perhaps more than one. Don't be put off by the synopsis, or trailer. This is not your standard Hollywood fare. See it for the humor, or the humanity, either way, you will be glad you did. I see very, very few films twice- this one is on my list.