Lars And The Real Girl

If thanks to the synopsis of Lars And The Real Girl, loner imagines a sex doll is a real woman and takes it out in public, you thought that it was the new film by the Farrelly Brothers you'd be forgiven for your error. Not only does it sound like their particular type of bad taste comedy, but it is also marketed as a comedy, albeit more like the quirky, "indie" efforts such as Napoleon Dynamite than There's Something About Mary. The thing is it isn't really that funny. Rather it is a humourous drama about how we cope with loss and how we sometimes have to escape into our own little worlds,away from the harsh realities of real life. It's also quite sad, but ultimately uplifting. Think of it as a modern "indie" take on Harvey and you're starting to get close.

Lars is played by the rather excellent Ryan Gosling, an actor that is up there with Bale and Day-Lewis as a modern great. His Lars is at times unbearably awkward, even around the perfect woman he has created for himself. Thanks to a childhood tragedy he has shut himself off from the outside world, apart from work and church, and even then human interaction causes him great grief. Under Gosling's control Lars seems like he is constantly overwhelmed, that he may burst into tears at any moment and that simple things such as shaking hands or joining his brother and his wife for dinner are simply the worst things he's ever had to do. In a year of incredible performances it has gone largely unnoticed, the movie's basic setup may have also contributed to that, but it is one worth seeing.

There are other fine contributions, Emily Mortimer is good as the expectant mother, worried about her failure to mother Lars and Patricia Clarkson is her dependable self as the doctor attempting to pull him through his delusion. Sadly the actors are let down by the plot. The delusion is actually the believable bit, let's be honest we all have them on some level. No the real problem is in the fact that the whole town simply accepts it and plays along, all coming to love "Bianca", Lars ideal girl. Of course the film is looking to be positive, so a bit of curmudgeonly objection from a few old duffers at the church thanks to the type of doll "Bianca" is aside there's nothing in the way of resistance. It's because everyone loves Lars and all that. Shamefully it doesn't quite ring true but if you're willing to forgive the film this then it's a pretty interesting story.

Gosling is the main attraction here, but there are many things to like about Lars And The Real Girl. It's not a shock that it was written by an ex-Six Feet Under writer as it is quirky, dark but ultimately uplifting, much like that show was. The premise may put many off, and vice versa attract those who won't like it, but it is a film worth your attention. It's flawed but charming, and the acting is excellent, especially from Gosling. If for nothing else see it for one of the year's finest performances.