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(About Our Ads) "LARS AND THE REAL GIRL" (2007) (Ryan Gosling, Paul Schneider) (PG-13) If you've come from our parental review of this film and wish to return to it, simply click on your browser's BACK button. Otherwise, use the following link to read our complete Parental Review of this film. QUICK TAKE: Dramedy: A socially awkward young man's family, friends and community react to him suddenly introducing a full-sized, anatomically correct sex doll as his girlfriend. PLOT: Lars Lindstrom (RYAN GOSLING) is a socially awkward young man who lives in the garage apartment adjacent to the home where his brother, Gus (PAUL SCHNEIDER), and his pregnant wife, Karin (EMILY MORTIMER), reside. Lars pretty much keeps to himself, avoiding Karin's invitations to join them for dinner, as well as the ever-so-slight romantic interest displayed by one his coworkers, Margo (KELLI GARNER), all while making others question his sexuality. Perhaps in response to that, as well as a need to deal with the inner turmoil troubling him, Lars comes up with a unique solution: he gets himself a girlfriend. And not just any girl, but Bianca, a half Brazilian, half Danish, paraplegic missionary who's on a break from helping others. The only issue is that she's just a full-sized, anatomically correct sex doll that he's ordered off the Internet. Yet, he doesn't view her in that context and truly seems to think she's real, and thus is ever the gentleman to her. That includes bringing Bianca to dinner with Gus and Karin, and then asking if she can stay with them as it wouldn't be appropriate for her to stay in his apartment. For Gus, this is about the last straw in terms of dealing with his odd brother, but Karin plays along, realizing something else must be going on. That's a diagnosis shared by Dagmar (PATRICIA CLARKSON), a local doctor and therapist. Realizing she must move gently, Dagmar convinces Lars that Bianca needs continued treatment, and thus gets to probe his psyche during those medical sessions. Her advice to his family and the rest of the community is that everyone also play along, which is what they do. Accordingly, they give him the support and love he needs to work through his issues, all as his "relationship" with Bianca progresses through the normal stages, and becomes quite popular around town. OUR TAKE: 6.5 out of 10 Filmmaking is all about making viewers believe in and care about something that doesn't exist. Sure, some movies are based on real life people and events, but filmmakers nevertheless must still get us involved in the on-screen characters and their goals. That's particularly true when they aren't portrayed by real-life, flesh and blood performers, such as in animated pics or films featuring non-human characters. Accordingly and at first glance, one would think that those behind "Lars and the Real Girl" have their work cut out for them. After all, one of the major characters in the film is a full-size, anatomically correct sex doll named Bianca. Thankfully for all concerned (cast, crew and viewers alike), this isn't the second (or, to be more accurate, third) coming of "Mannequin," that awful 1987 comedy starring Kim Cattrall as an Egyptian princess reincarnated as a department store dummy. Double-thankfully, Bianca never comes to life in this dramedy from director Craig Gillespie and writer Nancy Oliver. There's no body or eye movement, and no voices, at least that which we can hear. Instead, she's a prop, literally and figuratively, for the title character and the journey through which he, and thus the viewer must travel. With Ryan Gosling at the heart and center of this tale playing that troubled man, the film manages to escape from what initially looks like a one-note, stupid, and/or somewhat quirky comedy, and transcends into something a bit deeper and surprisingly far more engaging than one might imagine. In the film, Gosling plays a quiet and reserved sort who keeps to himself, much to the chagrin of his brother (Paul Schneider) and more concerned sister-in-law (Emily Mortimer). People wonder if there's something wrong with him or if he's gay, but then one day he comes out of his shell, due to the new arrival in his life. That, of course, would be Bianca (tastefully dressed and arranged here to avoid coming off as too tawdry), but Lars doesn't view her in her intended context. Instead, he sees her as his girlfriend, complete with a back-story and loving and caring conversations that appear one-sided to all but him. Not surprisingly, this development draws incredulous stares from others and even more disdain from Gus the brother. It also leads to a visit to the local doctor (Patricia Clarkson) in hopes that she might be able to figure out what's going on. It's sometime around then that the pic takes its smart turn from goofy comedy to heartfelt dramedy, as the doc, the sister-in-law, the townsfolk, and even the brother decide to play along, all in the belief that by doing so, they'll help the young man. That's when the film will either work for viewers, as it did for yours truly, or will become even goofier and/or intolerable for those who won't buy into the community support aspect. True, it's a bit far-fetched, and the good-natured, Capra-esque qualities might seem too old-fashioned for modern and more cynical viewers. And for those who endured the awful, in-your-face comedy "Mr. Woodcock," the fact that Gillespie also helmed that mess might make them automatically dismiss this one. What's perhaps most surprising about this gentle-natured flick, however, is that the director and his cast and crew manage to make us care about the fake girl. Not as in what ultimately happens to her, but instead in how her "fate" affects the title character and all of the townsfolk who've rallied around him. The kindness of friends and even strangers in the time of emotional need always gets to me, and this film delivers and plays upon that in spades. You'll either be touched by that or have to stymie your gag reflex, but the pic snagged me hook, line, and sinker. It certainly doesn't hurt that Gosling is pitch-perfect in his portrayal of this troubled but deserving man. Supporting takes by Mortimer, Schneider and Clarkson are also spot-on, while Kelli Garner is quite charming in her winning performance as a nerdy girl who takes a liking to Lars, but realizes she must allow him to work his way through his issues. In a way, the film is something of a kissing cousin to the "Tuttle" episode eons ago on the TV show "M*A*S*H." Yet, whereas Hawkeye and company made the others think they knew that never-seen, fictitious character, Gillespie and his make us care about the effect that an inanimate sex doll has on a young man and his community, which is quite a storytelling achievement. Probably not everyone's cup of tea, "Lars and the Real Girl" took me by surprise by its heartfelt and heartwarming elements, as well as avoiding the obvious for something far more unexpected. It rates as a 6.5 out of 10. Reviewed October 10, 2007 / Posted October 26, 2007