Review of Lars and the Real Girl (2007) by M W — 20 Aug 2013

I'm a little disappointed by this. The performances were good. The problem is just that there is pretty much nothing here besides what I had already inferred just from hearing the premise. The guy is so lonely that he is delusional.

He is convinced that this real doll he bought is his living breathing girlfriend. Only when he finds companionship with real people will he be able to get passed it. And that's all that happens and nothing more.

What's supposed to carry the audience along is that this all takes place in a small town and everyone, even the grumpy old farts from church eventually warm up to Lars and agree with his family to go along with the charade of pretending the doll is alive in order to let his delusion run its course and ultimately help him snap out of it.

But I just wasn't feeling it. I felt like the movie just needed more layers. I was waiting to see either the whole thing from his perspective where she is alive, or maybe a crazy existential twist where she was real all along or where everyone else was fake, or where he was fake and it was Karen's delusion.

I wanted to see something smart done with this premise not something nice.