I've decided it might be cool to do some film reviews on this blog. I watch a lot of films so I probably won't post about every one, just the ones I feel are worthy of review. First on the list -
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
First of all, what else can I say but who ever thought a film that has a storyline revolving around a sex-doll could be such a sweet, innocent, heart-warming story? I won't give too much away for those of you who like to enjoy the mystery of what a film will bring but I will write a short synopsis. Lars Lindstrom, played wonderfully by Ryan Gosling, is a lovable introverted young man from a small Canadian town who shocks his brother (Gus) and sister-in-law (Karin) one day when he introduces them to his new girlfriend Bianca... who happens to be an anatomically correct sex-doll. However, as a contrast to the actual commercial purpose of the doll, Lars has created her to be a kind missionary, with whom he wants a loving and pure relationship with. Out of kindness his family goes along with his delusion, and soon the whole town has joined in, treating Bianca like a real human being. I really enjoyed this film. Watching the relationship between both Lars and Bianca, and the couple and the rest of the town, unfold. It was lovely seeing the whole community come together to support Lars through his delusions, despite what they originally thought of it. Just a lovely story all in all, definitely worth a watch.
To me this film is about many things -
- Tolerance. To me this film really preaches tolerance to those who are different to us. I particularly liked the fact that the a lot of the characters were members of a church together, and the pastor of this church was very welcoming to Bianca. I feel like not as many churches would be as kind as this, it is something we can learn from.
- Loneliness. A lot of the main characters seemed to suffer from loneliness, which I think is something we can all relate to. Each of the characters dealt with their loneliness in their own ways, obviously the most extreme being with Lars. An interesting thing to watch and think about.
- Childhood. There is a real sense that a lot of the characters are afraid to grow up. Many still have toys like action figures and teddy bears and Lars strives to understand what it feels like to be an adult.
Anyhoo I'm not so good at writing movie reviews, I'll get better with time. But for this one I will say definitely worth a watch, though it's probably not everyone's cup of tea. I quickly loved Gosling as Lars from the word go, and found all the other characters equally admirable.
I give it a solid 7/10
