The University News

Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: Culture

Media Credit: Google Images Lars Lindstrom, is played by Ryan Gosling, oddities are is supported by his community.

It's rare these days to see the kind of town envisioned in "Lars and the Real Girl."

Not only does everyone know everyone else, but they generally like each other. They are a true community.

They spend time with one another, and when someone is hurting, the rest are there for support. It's idyllic in its own way without being overly fanciful.

And it's a good thing Lars Lindstrom, played by Ryan Gosling, lives in such a town. If the film was set in a big city, Lindstrom would probably be the victim of scorn and possibly violence.

For, you see, Lindstrom's new girlfriend has come to town. Her name is Bianca, and he met her on the internet. She also happens to be a life-sized doll.

Such is the central joke of the film. Lindstrom is delusional and thinks Bianca is a real person. The only human contact he can muster the courage for is directed at someone inanimate.

His brother Gus and sister-in-law Karin cannot understand this phase, but at the insistence of Dr. Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson), they go along with it so Lindstrom can work out this problem on his own. He gave life to Bianca; he is the only one who can take it away.

They soon convince the other townspeople to support Lindstrom in this emotional crisis, and everyone soon warms to Bianca and treats her as one of their own.

The second act of the film is filled with numerous examples of Bianca's newfound popularity, with Lindstrom increasingly grasping for time with her. As Bianca gets to know everyone, so does Lindstrom, and so he is able to come out of his shell, albeit painfully.

Nancy Oliver's script is a great achievement in the way it handles such an outlandish premise. Most other writers would probably latch on to the obvious crude humor that could be implied, but here the issue of physical relations between Lindstrom and Bianca is only mentioned once or twice, and never dwelled upon.

Lindstrom's problem is emotional not sexual, and Gosling's performance makes this perfectly clear. It's a testament to both the script and the acting that the film is able to achieve such a unique sense of reality.

Instead of dwelling on the inherent silliness and miring itself in running gags, they make you feel that emotional foundation.

Consider a scene in which Lindstrom kisses Bianca. Let's face it - a man kissing a life-sized doll is ridiculous. But when that scene happened, the audience I saw it with was almost completely silent, maybe even reverent. People were moved.

But all that's not to say the film isn't funny. It is quite funny. But it balances the humor with the charm and tenderness of a great romance. Some may call it an offbeat film, but in its way it's more romantic than any other romantic comedy made these days.

dcoley@unews.com

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