Review of All the Real Girls (2003) by Aaron N — 28 Jun 2009

Paul: I just want to make sure that a million years from now I can still see you up close and we'll still have amazing things to say.

A well made drama about two people that fall in love, however its not that simple. The performances are solid, the dialog propels it further, and the subtle approach steers the film away from being melodramatic. Its slow paced but well told.

Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel star as Paul and Noel. Paul is a man who's been womanizing since his early teens and Noel is his best friend's sister, recently back from boarding school. The inevitable turn involving the best friend finding out is part of the plot, but another turn is what truly turns this film around.

Director David Gordan Green has a naturalistic style that provides this movie with the right mood and sense of thought. Nothing is ever over emphasized in this movie, I found it very real and easy to relate with for various reasons.

The supporting character also add to the film, including Patricia Clarkson as Paul's mother. Its the extra padding of these characters that certainly keeps the film interesting.

Even though I've been vague on where the plot goes, this is a good story, maybe not appealing to all, but well acted and made.

Paul: Do you wanna know a secret that I didn't tell anybody ever?... You know how ducks fly home in a V? It's like a v-shape when they get home? I was walking my dog and I looked up and there's this big V above me, there's all these ducks flying back to their home. And right when they flew above me, I saw 'em and, they crashed into a big house! The whole V! And then, they hit the ground, and they just kinda curled up. You ever fucking see that? Have you ever seen a mistake in nature? Have you ever seen an animal make a mistake?