'Lars and the Real Girl' [Blu-ray]
(Ryan Gosling, Paul Schneider, et al / DVD / PG-13 / (2007) 2011 / MGM)
Overview: Lars (Academy Award® Nominee Ryan Gosling) is a sweet but quirky guy who thinks he’s found the girl of his dreams in a life-sized doll named Bianca. Lars is completely content with his artificial girlfriend, but when he develops feelings for Margo, an attractive co-worker, Lars finds himself lost in a hilariously unique love triangle!
DVD Verdict: 'Lars and the Real Girl' is an incredibly heartfelt tale of the way a community comes together to help a young man work through some extremely difficult problems in life. Traumas from his childhood have given Lars a fear of intimacy that's so strong that he can't even be touched by other people without feeling pain. A delusional relationship helps him to find his way through his issues, but this film is more about the community that cares and shows him the love and acceptance he needs.
Wow, what would life be like if all communities showed love and support rather than making fun of people and judging them harshly? That's a question to which this film gives us a hint of an answer, as we watch the whole community grow stronger as they help Lars deal with life.
The comedy in this creative film is on the town interacting with Bianca. The drama in this film is in Lars, his family, his coworkers, his church, and the rest of the town interacting with Bianca. A courageous and creative physician works with, er ... Bianca to get a better understanding of what is going on in Lars' mind.
His delusion of Bianca's reality has a real cause, and certainly has real effects. And when his relationship with Bianca begins to affect his relationship with a very kind coworker, Margo, the viewer starts to squirm.
You so desperately want there to be a happy ending!
Indeed, I kept waiting for the obligatory jerks who were going to mock him and do something awful to him or Bianca, but the filmmakers never sunk to that level to keep the narrative flowing. It's a bit painful to watch at times due to the severe pain we see in Lars, but well worth the time spent watching! This is a Widescreen presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Deleted Scene
Theatrical Trailer
Making of Featurette
Bianca Vignette
www.MGM.com