Lars and the Real Girl

Review by Erica Beinhacker

Directed by Craig Gillespie

Our protagonist Lars is scarred by the idea of mortality; his whole life has been affected by death that he attaches himself to something that inevitably can’t die: a sex doll. Craig Gillespie’s Lars and the Real Girl is endlessly charming, upbeat, awkward, comical, and genuinely moving. It’s a story of a man coming back to life, helped by the people who love him. If you’re in the mood to simultaneously belly-laugh and have a solid cry, this film is for you! Lars, played by the dazzling Ryan Gosling, offers an absolutely sublime performance, one of his very best. This film comes at a time when unconditional love and utter acceptance of our loved ones and the world is of the utmost importance.