Review of Lars and the Real Girl (2007) by Jeffrey M — 27 Jan 2013

Categorized as a comedy but succeeding as being a drama, albeit with a sort of quirky and dark comedic sense, Lars and the Real Girl represents a unique sort of film, and a standout moment for Ryan Gosling.

The film examines themes of isolation, mental illness, love, regret, and loss, in a poignant way, with a script that doesn't opt for easy answers or clichéd characters, but instead offers a tragic, but fair, view of a torn, confused man. This man is played enormously well by Ryan Gosling, who injects the film with its dramatic weight. The supporting cast is equally as strong, each contributing to the film's unique tone.

The one aspect of the film that did give me trouble was the reaction of the townspeople, which seemed overly optimistic, and a bit out of tune with the rest of the film. Granted, this played to the comedic elements, but I thought occasionally it undercut the realism.

Overall, it's a funny, moving, and uniquely realized character study, filled with fine performances.

4/5 Stars.