"Lars and the Real Girl" (***)

I spent my Halloween night watching "Lars and the Real Girl." This quirky comedy follows Lars, an introvert, who orders a sex doll named Bianca off the internet, and they start a relationship. Now this is definitely a hard sell, especially to mainstream audiences. Instead, a film which easily could have been filled with vulgarities, turns out to be one of the most heart-warming films of the year.

The main reason the film works is it is skillfully written by Nancy Oliver. I don' expect the Academy to embrace this film and give her a nomination, but it is a possibility. The story is very sincere, and Lars is a well-developed character that the audience can really relate to and sympathize with. It is amusing to watch this relationship between Lars and Bianca develop. Lars is weaving a narrative between himself and this sex doll, and the viewer cannot help but be intrigued. He is living in this fantasy in which he is the puppeteer.

Now, a lot of the credit also has to be given to Ryan Gosling. This is a role unlike any other for this amazing young actor, and if in any other actor's hands the film may not have worked as well as it did. Last year Ryan Gosling gave my favorite performance of the year out of any of the acting categories. He was astounding in "Half Nelson," and while he does not top that performance in this film, he still delivers an Oscar-worthy performance. For the viewer to really invest in the film, the relationship between Lars and Bianca has to feel authentic. When Lars is having conversations with Bianca, it is like he is talking to any other human being. It is interesting to watch how this character is afraid of human contact, of human emotion. I think his mother's death had a great affect on how he views the world. Losing his mother has made him afraid of becoming close to anyone. His performance is really a spectacular feat, and Ryan Gosling continues to prove that he is one of the premier actors of his generation.

It was also interesting to see the effect that inanimate objects had on people throughout the film. As kids, our toys play important roles in our lives. They become our friends, and they are not just toys to us. We see them as real friends, items of comfort. Many of the characters illustrated this inner child. Lars had Bianca who helped him overcome his fears of his own emotions. One of Lars' co-workers collects action figures. They are important to him, and when Margo, another co-worker, hides them he is upset. Margo also has a teddy bear that means a lot to her. She is devastated when a noose is placed around him. The scene is which Lars performs CPR on the bear was very heart-warming. The viewer can also see Lars' blank as an important inanimate object in his life. His mother made it from him, and it comforts him, helping him try to remember the mother he never knew.

"Lars and the Real Girl" is a real delight that everyone should see. Before I sign out I would like to point out two things. First, the film was directed by Craig Gillespie who also directed "Mr. Woodcock." After, that horrible film, I didn't think Mr. Gillespie could make a good film, but he proved me wrong. He provides an assured hand, and directs the film carefully making sure that the audience can relate to it. On a final note, I just thought it would be amusing if Bianca the sex doll received a Best Supporting Actress nomination. I know this isn't possible, but she is very much a character in the film. In a year vacant of good supporting roles for females, I thought this idead would be interesting.