1. THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
FALLING IN LOVE WITH A FANTASY
TALE OF LARS AND HIS INFLATABLE GIRLFRIEND IS A
SURPRISING DELIGHT
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Section: FAITH
Edition: ONE-THREE
Page: 4E
Type: REVIEW
KIMBERLY SUMMERS, special to the Observer
Column: KIMBERLY SUMMERS - TEEN SCREENS
Illustration: PHOTO
Caption: 1. MGM PHOTO. Lars (Ryan Gosling) and his dinner guest in "Lars and the Real Girl."
When the words "independent" and "film" are juxtaposed, I cringe. My mind is immediately imbued
with images of a B movie with a budget equivalent to my allowance. The fact that "Lars and the
Real Girl" was one of two movies playing at a small theater didn't ease the churning in my mind.
(On the neighboring screen was "Lust, Caution," in Mandarin with English subtitles.) But these
horrid images were blown away after viewing "Lars and the Real Girl."
Have you ever wondered what happened to that squalid kid who sat in the back of your class,
fumbling with what was rumored to be a bomb under his desk, and jolted when his name was called
because - though no one ever talked to him - everyone knew his name? That guy is alive and well,
and his name is Lars. He's meticulously and brilliantly portrayed by Ryan Gosling, and he's now a
reticent 27-year-old concerned only with his job and living day to day in a small town that seems to
think he's lonely and needs a friend.
Lars astounds everyone by inviting Bianca, the girl he's smitten with, to dinner at his brother's
house. All is well until dinner's served, and everyone notices Bianca doesn't have much of an
appetite. Nor does she have any bodily functions, because she's an inflatable doll - a sex doll, to be
exact. Any purchase can be made off the Internet, but who knew marauding for your true love
could start with a click and take less than 10 business days?
The town mirrors Lars' behavior as this relationship blossoms into a melancholy, delusional
romance. Bianca is treated like a citizen as she pops up in a beauty salon, a party and church, then
gets elected to the school board. As the movie progressed, I found myself becoming attached to
Lars and, oddly enough, to his love interest.
After directing commercials for 16 years, Craig Gillespie may have finally found his niche in
directing quirky movies. ("Mr. Woodcock" was his first.) Dry humor from supporting actors Paul
Schneider, Emily Mortimer, Kelli Garner and Patricia Clarkson was nicely interwoven into the
story line, adding a "Napoleon Dynamite" feel that made this picture even more lovable.
By the end, you'll have a warm, fuzzy feeling beneath your left shoulder as well as a sense of
confusion, wondering how any cast had the overwhelming power to make you fall in love with an

2. inflatable doll. Though the tagline for this movie says "the search for true love begins outside the
box," I believe the search for a great movie begins at those inconspicuous Manors playing films
that give you an unexpected "airy" feeling inside.
"Lars and the Real Girl" is rated PG-13 for some sex-related content.