Lars and the Real Girl (Craig Gillespie, 2007)

[souvenir]

Very anxious to see this. The trailer looks a little too "heartwarming" but there's potential.

Here's the trailer and the poster

[Barmy]

I dunno. Some of the acting seems wooden.

[domino harvey]

cue one of the younger posters asking if Barmy is joking

[flyonthewall2983]

I dunno. Some of the acting seems wooden.

I thought it seemed more plastic.

[Svevan]

So this wasn't bad. It's definitely an actors film, with Mortimer, Schneider, Clarkson, and Kelli Garner all giving great performances despite the cliches of the plot. Gosling I think too his role too seriously, creating a character too mired in mental illness to actually overcome it, but that's not his fault: this script is just a bit too easy in its treatment of delusions and psychosis.

Thought the film's successes were its naivety and innocence, in that it creates a community that never once questions Lars' humanity and is always seeking to support him and "Bianca," his doll. Yet I think the movie sets up too much to resolve the way it did, and at the end I found the naive worldview to be just as much of a fault as it was a positive aspect of the movie.

So, I guess it's a good date movie for the alt crowd, with great performances that might get recognized.

[Antoine Doinel]

Saw an advance screening tonight and I pretty much agree with Svevan although I'll say the studio is perhaps most to blame for any misperceptions of what this film actually is. While they are trying to sell it as a quirky comedy, it struck more as deeply melancholy. I think Gosling (and the other actresses) are note perfect in a script that they give far more weight than it actually deserves. For me, I found Gosling's character's sadness deeply affecting and while the audience was (half) laughing, I was hurting for him. I think there is a far better film in here if the filmmakers just decided to cut out the "funny" sequences and played everything straight. The reductionism of mental illness is nearly unforgiveable, but the film is marked by a few great sequences that keep it honest. One in particular, is a beautiful, non-hipster, non-quirky dance sequence to the Talking Heads "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)".

[GoldenPilgrim]

One in particular, is a beautiful, non-hipster, non-quirky dance sequence to the Talking Heads "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)".

You just sold me.