This movie was a real delight for me when I saw it for the first time. There is a gentle humour and innocence to it, which is as surprising as it is welcome. The film could have gone for cheap laughs, as so many movies regrettably- and boringly- do, but Lars and the Real Girl is never so unoriginal and tawdry. There are some great performances in this movie- especially by Gosling- but not just by the leads. The opinionated townspeople are all characters in their own right, ready to squabble amongst themselves but united in their desire to see Lars overcome the crippling emotional problems that plague him and keep him from forming relationships- whether familial or romantic- however much he wishes to do so.
This image is from the charming 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl. It stars Ryan Gosling as emotionally damaged Lars Lindstrom, a man who struggles to interact with society at large, or even with his own family- his brother Gus and sister-in-law Karin. Worried about Lars' isolation- both physical and mental- Gus and Karin are delighted when he comes to their door (he lives in a garage apartment in their backyard) to tell them that he has a girlfriend whom he met online and who is coming to visit. This delight turns to shock and bewilderment when Lars brings her to dinner; she is an anatomically correct Real Girl doll from an adult website. Lars gently pushes her into the house in a wheelchair and introduces her as Bianca, a paraplegic missionary from Brazil. The dinner takes on a surreal quality for Gus and Karin who don't know how to react as Lars, seemingly relaxed and open for the first time, breezily chats with them and Bianca, just as if she is an actual person. This movie was a real delight for me when I saw it for the first time. There is a gentle humour and innocence to it, which is as surprising as it is welcome. The film could have gone for cheap laughs, as so many movies regrettably- and boringly- do, but Lars and the Real Girl is never so unoriginal and tawdry. There are some great performances in this movie- especially by Gosling- but not just by the leads. The opinionated townspeople are all characters in their own right, ready to squabble amongst themselves but united in their desire to see Lars overcome the crippling emotional problems that plague him and keep him from forming relationships- whether familial or romantic- however much he wishes to do so.
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