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Feature Presentation:
The story, about a young man whose self-imposed
isolation from the rest of the world leads him to seek romance in the arms of a
mail-order silicone doll, may sound intolerably precious, but Lars
and the
Real Girl is disarmingly sweet
and quietly
affecting. Ryan Gosling, as Lars, gives a performance of subtle persuasiveness –
his awkward, jittery body language and agonized grimaces speaking eloquently to
the pain that lends the film much-needed gravitas. Without him,
Lars might have seemed too
blatantly whimsical; instead, it
strikes a tone that makes the unbelievable somehow believable, providing a
strange but moving affirmation of hope. Bonus Features: Brief featurettes about the cast and the film’s
semi-lifelike leading lady (“She doesn’t throw hissy fits and demand things!”
notes co-star Emily Mortimer) are pleasant enough, but the inclusion of just a
single deleted scene and a conspicuous absence of commentary tracks seem less
than generous.
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