By Sara Pintilie/entertainment editor
On the surface, Lars and the Real Girl seems so preposterous, it borderlines campy, but underneath, the movie is an indie treat for moviegoers.
The film centers around Lars (Half Nelson’s Ryan Gosling), an awkwardly shy guy nestled in the safety of the small town he grew up in.
Lars likes to hide away from everyone, even his brother Gus (Paul Scheider) and his sister-in-law Karin (Match Point’s Emily Mortimer).
They have to ambush him even to have dinner together.
But one day, Lars decides to change the course of his life and invites Bianca, his online friend, to visit.
Karin and Gus are excited to meet Lars’ gal, but when she finally arrives, they are stunned.
Bianca is a life-sized sex doll.
Lars isn’t interested in normal pursuits with Bianca but a meaningful relationship.
He treats her, to the whole town’s surprise, as a real girl, even arguing with her from time to time.
Gus is against Lars’ newfound friend, but Karin just wants to help Lars work through his relationship with Bianca to find why he has this fantasy. She even tries to involve the town to help Lars.
The townsfolk decide whether to nurse Lars’ delusion in this quirky and adorably original film.
The movie has every-thing riding against it: a bizarre storyline, a possibly laughable protagonist and a shiny veneer of an unrealistic world. But all these elements work out to create a moving, character-driven story.
The audience raises their eyebrows at Bianca, but they can’t help being enchanted with the shy Lars.
Gosling’s performance is irritatingly amazing.
He has little dialogue throughout the film but conveys the essence of Lars with subtle glances and a certain emotional weight the audience can almost feel.
The rest of the cast creates a sound foundation for Lars and Bianca to thrive on.
They bring a saneness to the movie and keep it anchored. Without them, Lars and the Real Girl would become the campy, sex-filled, B- movie it has the possibility to be.
The only downfall with this film is its lack of wide appeal.
Most moviegoers will not see the beauty in this flick and just write it off as one of those “weird art house films.”
But those who give Lars and the Real Girl a chance will be pleasantly surprised and moved by this original and endearing film.
