Due to coursework and Christmas I ain't gonna be on here too much for a while
Due to coursework and Christmas I ain't gonna be on here too much for a while
Member since:07.04.2007
Reviews:152
Members who trust:92
The Film
Lars and the Real Girl is a 2007 film. Lars is a lonely, reclusive, young man who lives in the converted garage of his brother's house. He recoils from society and companionship and has to be tackled and pinned down by his sister-in-law, Karen,to convince him to come round for dinner. A co-worker Margo shows a strong interest in him but Lars ignores her as he does his other porn obsessed co-worker until one day he mentions sex dolls to Lars who is intrigued. He orders one of the dolls and strangely starts to act as if it is real. He also starts to come out of his shell and starts to visit his brother and his wife. He brings the doll along with him and they're clearly abit worried. They take him to the doctor who diagnoses Lars with a delusion, advising them to just humour him as it will eventually wear itself out. They start to pretend with him that the doll is real and the whole Community start to pull together. The priest pretends it's real and friends all come together for Lars who starts to become less of an introvert as a result. He also visits the doctor weekly with the doll, the doctor pretends to treat her but really tries to treat Lars' mind and solve the problem that physical contact with people causes him physical pain. This may not seem like much of a story but Lars and Bianca the doll end up going through a variety of situations that are odd and that help Lars grow. He takes her to a party, he takes her to church, he takes her to meet people, he argues with her whenever she spends too much time with other people and he asks her to marry him. This is all to be dealt with by his family and friends so as to protect him.
What I thought
It was really good. I had no idea what the film was going to be about when I put it on and found the story original and strange. Ryan Gosling portrays a really pathetic and likeable character. You feel sorry for him and you want him to do well. You start to feel for him and you want things to go his way and throughout the story you do always wonder where is the plot going to go? Where is this going to lead to? It was sad but it was also quite funny. The character's reaction to the doll as well as Lars' delusions really provided some laughs within a rather melancholy story and it also had a real feel-good factor to it in the end. The directing cleverly put this altogether to make a neat, beautiful film that really grips you. Gosling's performance was also astounding and he won several awards for the part. I'd only seen him in Fracture before this and I think he is an excellent actor with a lot of potential. As Lars he has a hard task of conveying a character who is evolving and growing up essentially. Leaving behind his boyishness to become a man and needing a real push for the delayed rite of passage. The other actors also performed very well with Emily Mortimer perhaps putting up the next best performance. The film had Nancy Oliver nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, she also wrote for Six Feet Under
Cast
Lars - Ryan Gosling (Fracture, Half Nelson) Gus - Paul Schneider (Assassination of Jesse James) Karin - Emily Mortimer (51ST State, The Pink Panther (the horrible new ones)) Margo - Kelli Garner (Normal Adolescent Behaviour) Doctor - Patricia Clarkson (All the King's Men, The Untouchables)
Certificate
This film is a 13. Although it has a sex doll there is no sexual content but sex is mentioned a few times.
Film Website and Trailer
http://www.larsandtherealgirl-themovie.com/
Buying
I don't have this in DVD but I intend on buying it but don't plan on spending more than a tenner, think that should perhaps give you an indication of the quality of the film. Amazon has it from £10.85, I could stretch the extra 85p
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Lars And The Real Girl stars Ryan Gosling as Lars Lindstrom a loveable introvert whose ... more
emotional baggage has kept him from fully embracing life. After years of lonely solityude Lars invites Bianca a friend he met on the internet to visit him in hi...
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