Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

	Directed by: Craig Gillespie	COUNTRY USA GENRE Drama/Comedy NORWEGIAN TITLE Lars and the Real Girl RUNNING TIME 106 minutes
	Produced by: Sarah Aubrey John Cameron Sidney Kimmel
	Written by: Nancy Oliver

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Lars Lindstrom	Ryan Gosling	½
Karin	Emily Mortimer	½
Gus	Paul Schneider	½
Margo	Kelli Garner
Dagmar	Patricia Clarkson
Reverend Bock	R. D. Reid
Mrs. Gruner	Nancy Beatty
Mr. Hofstedtler	Doug Lennox
Mr. Shaw	Joe Bostick
Mrs. Schindler	Liz Gordon
Mrs. Petersen	Nicky Guadagni

Review

Lars and the Real Girl is too meek and kind-hearted to be true. It arguably has other elements that make it fantastical as well, but director Craig Gillespie and writer Nancy Oliver ask us politely to accept the premises they lay out for their never harsh but constantly clever satire. The film makes us ponder real everyday issues, even if Lars' situation is anything but everyday. The key to the effect is how it combines a delightful and unashamed idiosyncrasy with very authentic dramatic situations and familiar characters. Director Gillespie gives his characters the time and opportunity to react more than act, which makes this little film a real crowd-pleaser.

The picture is also noticeable for portraying the arguably Scandinavian way of life that still prevails in some of the rural northern US states. This is obviously a treat for us viewers from the northern parts of Europe, and I would argue that Lars and the Real Girl is closer in spirit to the European film tradition than it is to the American. The title is another indication of the European affiliation; there seems to be a current trend in American cinema to draw inspiration from the Nouvelle Vague in general and Éric Rohmer in particular (with the likes of Dan in Real Life and Margot at the Wedding as other 'Rohmer-esque' entries), and Gillespie's film may well be the most effective example yet in that respect.