Review of Ruby Sparks (2012) by Tarek F — 14 Jul 2014

With "Ruby Sparks" it is common for someone like Paul Dano to play the writer, and the character that is desperately seeking the girl of his dreams. To have this happen, Dano always goes into being dorky to the fullest. I can see why he has perfect chemistry with the girl he is in love with. That is because in real-life they live together.

Dano plays Calvin Weir-Fields: a novelist that has many encounters with writer's block. The cause of his writer's block is because he is desperate to find romance. In his story, he creates a girl and she is "Ruby Sparks" (Zoe Kazan). For Calvin, things look up. All of a sudden, a cute girl is in his home and is exactly how Calvin wrote about her. Her hair, her clothes, her personality, you name it.

For Calvin, this miracle is beneficial. At times when Ruby is not meeting his expectations, but he can change that in a heartbeat. All Calvin has to do is simply type words on his typewriter, and Ruby's actions will change immediately.

This film is a joy to watch. I enjoy writing and being creative where I can captivate my readers. Its creativity with characters can be quirky, but it is also light-hearted, and makes you wonder how you can create someone for a story.

Director Jonathan Dayton: who directed one of my favorite films "Little Miss Sunshine" (which was a film that Dano also starred in when he was not really famous yet) worked with Kazan on the script. Kazan wrote the screenplay and gave it to Dayton. Kazan's talent of this script comes from the people in her family that have talent in film. Her grandfather Elia Kazan directed "On the Waterfront" (1954), her mother Robin Swiscord wrote the screenplay for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), and her father Nicholas Kazan wrote the screenplay for "Reveals of Fortune" (1990). With her background in writing, Kazan brings us a film that has perfect characterization.

Does Calvin leave happily ever after with Ruby? Does Ruby realize she is just a creation? Best for viewers to find out with "Ruby Sparks." It has many moments that are climatic when Calvin is use to being in control and it is captivating, given that nothing like this kind of relationship cannot happen in real-life. The question of Ruby's turnout or attitude leaves me to ask myself this...is it worth to be in control of her?