Why the film is worth your time
Lars and the Real Girl asks big “what if” questions about how we, the “normal”, might love those with mental illness. It would be easy for the film to take the premise over the top into staged gags and crude jokes, but it doesn’t. It is both serious and lighthearted, and always respectful of the characters. The screenplay, performances, directing, and cinematography are excellent. Running time: 106 min.
Lars is, shall we say, emotionally challenged. He finds relationships extremely difficult. His brother and sister-in-law want him to get out more. He does start dating someone, Bianca, but she’s not at all the type of girl they expected. She came in the mail. Literally. Lars and Bianca’s relationship causes a stir in the town, and many don’t know what to do. His brother wonders who’s to blame. Assumptions and prejudices abound, and the main question is, “What is going on with Lars and Bianca?”
Lars orders Bianca from a sex doll web site, which leads to a few related references in the film.
- Director: Craig Gillespie
- Screenplay: Nancy Oliver
- Leads: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Patricia Clarkson, Nancy Beatty, Kelli Garner, Bianca
- Cinematography: Adam Kimmel
- Info on IMDb
- Reviews on Rottentomatoes (81%)
- Reviews on Metacritic (70 of 100)
- Review on Christianity Today Movies (3.5 of 4)
- Buy Lars and the Real Girl DVD on Amazon.com
- Go to the Netflix page
- Go to the Blockbuster page
Tags: Drama
June 17, 2009, 01:18 UTC
(updated July 25, 2014, 21:00 UTC)
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