Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 2 ratings
Extremely shy Lars finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother and sister-in-law worry about him, so when he announces that he has a girlfriend he met on the Internet, they are overjoyed. But Lars' new lady is a life-size plastic woman. On the advice of a doctor, his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion.
Lars and the Real Girl is a genuinely singular film — its premise is handled with extraordinary warmth and sincerity rather than mockery, which makes it distinctive and memorable. Ryan Gosling's performance is a quiet marvel of physical and emotional restraint, anchoring a story that could easily have become farce. The supporting cast, particularly Emily Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson, elevate the material further. The premise and community-embracing-delusion-as-love concept is highly novel and executed with a unique tone. The plot, while effective, is somewhat predictable in its arc — the community's acceptance comes too easily and the emotional beats are telegraphed. The cinematography is competent and suits the wintry Wisconsin setting but is not especially distinctive. The ending is quietly moving but resolves a little too neatly, leaving less emotional resonance than the film's best moments promise.