In Continuum.

Lars and the Real Girl



Once in a while, a movie comes knocking at your door like a pleasant Christmas surprise. It is a little less than a month to Christmas, but I guess this film is indeed an early present from the great world of films. I'm not sure how this movie came into my knowledge in the first place, but I guess it was one of those movies with a really interesting poster and a name to begin with. Besides, it has Ryan Gosling and Emily Mortimer in the film, what else can I ask for? Admittedly, I had my doubts when I first saw the trailer for the film. Let's admit it, when a movie speaks of a relationship between a grown man and a blow up doll, you are going to expect the movie to be half filled with slapstick jokes, and the other half with just lukewarm jokes. These are the kind of comedies that they usually make in Hollywood nowadays anyway, but definitely not in the case of Lars and the Real Girl. This film is a true gem, and deserves every inch of that 8.4 rating on IMDB.com. Here's why.

There is something tricky about liking Indie movies, because they are shown in very limit screens around the island, and at very strange timings as well. More than strange timings is the fact that Indie movies do not usually receive as much publicity as mainstream movies, no matter how bad mainstream movies can be. How many times have we seen posters of horrendous films at bus stops and MRT stations, while Indie films don't even get a decent space in the morning papers. Today is the opening day of Lars and the Real Girl, and I don't even see a single picture of it in the newspaper, which is quite an insult since The Seeker is taking up the other half of the page. Nothing against bad films, since I believe that even bad films can be loved by people - somewhat. It's just that it is frustrating to see so little recognition for a film that is so good, in relative to everything else that they are showing in the theaters. Seriously, most of the people are going to flock to the cinemas to watch The Seeker, simply because it has fantasy themes and a lot of explosions. To me, any movie with a boy in the middle of the poster is enough for me to judge whether or not I am going to see it. Besides, it has a 4.8 rating on IMDB. Trust me, it sucks.

Anyway, let's begin with the review. The story of Lars and the Real Girl revolves around - no prize for guessing - Lars, and his 'real' girl. Lars is what we call in our society, a loner. He stays alone in his brother's garage, and lives a very secluded life other than his daily routines. The wife of his brother, played by Emily Mortimer, becomes worried for Lars' welfare, while his brother Gus brushes his wife's worries aside most of the time. That came to an end when Lars brought his new girlfriend whom he met on the internet over for dinner one night, and the two of them were shocked to find that the 'girlfriend' Lars was referring to, was actually a blow up doll he bought from the internet. The problem is, Lars thinks that the blow up doll - called Bianca - is a real girl, and the town has to somewhat play along with him in order to fix his delusions.

The premise of the story seems absurd, and completely ridiculous on first look. In fact, it even sounds like a movie made with Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell in mind. However, director Craig Gillespie managed to take this comedy on a different route, and managed to inject a jet of warmth throughout the movie, without losing the humor and also emphasizing on the underlying meaning behind the film. I was pleasantly surprised at how the director - the same one as Mr. Woodcock, surprisingly - paid such fine details to his characters and the plot. I mean, Nancy Oliver's script is one thing, but the directing in this movie was almost flawless. The humor and the drama blended so perfectly together that it becomes hard to differentiate which is which in various scenes. Yet, the director was able to capture the essence of every scene, and not allow the focus of the audience to falter towards any of the two genres present in this film.

Arguably, the funniest part of the movie was when Gus and Karin first meets Bianca in their living room. Very soon, the rest of the town comes to meet with Bianca, and bend over backwards to make her feel like home. Even the new girl at Lars' office tried to make her feel at home as well, and I thought this is where the movie truly takes off from all the other movies from its genre. It tries to be different, and yet it doesn't try too hard to do so. It's script is off beat, and in a way ridiculous as well. However, the subtle take by the screenwriters as well as the director managed to take the story to another level, one where others might not have reached with their normal Hollywood-styled single-mindedness.

I've only seen Ryan Gosling in several movies, and most recently in Fracture with Anthony Hopkins. He received his first Oscar nomination for his role in Half Nelson, and it is not difficult to understand why. After all, this actor is the same actor who held on to his candle, while starring opposite somebody like Anthony Hopkins. Seriously, it takes a lot of guts to do such a thing, and I'd say that he did a pretty good job in that film. In this film, Ryan Gosling does yet another stunning performance, this time with nothing over the top like he did in Fracture, but the kind of subtle performance which I love. Ryan takes the greatest of emotions and puts it on his face with the slightest move of a single muscle. That alone is enough to bring out Lars as a character, and make him come alive on screen. Lars is not exactly the kind of character you would want to root for in real life, because he is the kind of odd ball that shuns away from the society as we know it. However, Ryan Gosling actually does such people justice and brings home a stunning performance. We saw his anguishes, his sadness, his frustrations and his happiness, all through very minor and seemingly trivial changes in his expressions. A lot of respect for that guy, indeed.

In supporting cast for this film is extremely strong as well. Emily Mortimer is as beautiful as ever, and her acting is flawless as usual. The great thing about this film is that although the focus is on Lars and his blow up doll, the director never fails to bring our attention back to the people in the town as well, and what they are going through just to make Bianca feel at home. Paul Schnieder does a great job, and had his moments throughout the film. I thought Kelli Garner did a good job with Margo, and really made the audience love the girl next door, who might have been a little too strong with her liking towards Lars. Patricia Clarkson was electrifying on screen, and she arrests every single moment she appears on screen, not just with her looks but her voice as well. The other relatively unknown casts really supported the storyline well, and kudos to the casting department for that.

Here is the real reason why Lars and the Real Girl stands out as one of the best films I have seen this year. Spoiler alert, for those who might not want to know the ending to the film, so here's a warning before you continue. Anyway, when I stepped into the movie, I kind of knew what to expect. I expected a comedy about a guy with his obsession over a blow up doll, and how the town handles with the situation altogether. However, I've ever expected a reason to be told to us as to why Lars treated the blow up doll as a real person. I merely thought that we'd be introduced to his mental state, and then that is the end of it all. There is more to this film than meets the eye, and I am glad that I spotted it myself.

Lars grew up with his mother dead at a young age, and his father sank into a sort of depression over the years. He grew up in a rather gloomy environment, and that was what affected most of his character because he received so little care and concern from his father. Due to that, Lars slowly closed in into himself over the years, and locked himself away most of the time. That was until he was being introduced to the blow up doll by his colleague, and he found a place to put that personality. I think that he bought Bianca not to satisfy any physical needs, but an emotional one. He makes up stories that were similar to his own, and tells others to treat her as if she isn't in a wheel-chair, that she is just a normal everyday person like everybody else. In a way, that was exactly what Lars wanted people to think about him, how he wanted people to act towards him. However, that all changed when Karin confronted Lars, and told her that the town breaks their backs to make Bianca feel comfortable, all for the sake of Lars. That was when we see the change in Lars, because he finally begins to feel that he is being cared, and that he is being concerned by other people.

At this point of the film, we start to see his relationship with Bianca slowly deteriorating. They start to get into fights, with Lars shouting at her most of the time. Also, he grows closer to Margo while they went out on a date at the bowling alley, and it was easy to see his internal struggles with each successive removal of his original personality. Love penetrated his life, and he found out that he no longer needed to hide behind the plastic skin of Bianca. Which was why Lars started to date Margo, started shaking hands with people voluntarily - something he feared initially due to the supposed pain - and talk to people in a different manner as well. As the love from all over the town is being realized by Lars, Bianca slowly began to disappear - and eventually died as a result. Of course, she didn't really die when Lars found her 'unconscious' in bed one morning. Still, it was more than just Bianca dying, but the old Lars dying in bed as well. In a way, I suppose Lars was sad over the death of his past, and maybe also a little frightful of the future. It was the first time he received that much attention, and I do suppose that he might have felt a little daunted by the experience.

Spoiler ends here.

So, I am glad that I caught this movie over anything else showing in theaters right now. I'm not sure how the other group of friends felt after watching The Seeker, but I'm sure that trash cannot be compared to the charm of this movie. This film works in an unconventional way, but the point is that everything worked according to the writer and director. This film puts a smile on your face the more you think about it after the movie, and perhaps even a teardrop or two when Lars kissed Bianca goodbye. Whatever your emotion may be, you cannot deny that this beautiful little piece of work, has enough warmth to comfort the souls of many out there. After all, there is love all around us, and sometimes we may be too ignorant to notice them. Sometimes, take a breath. A deep one. Love is everywhere now, isn't it?

9.5/10