FilmMonthly » rojas.alexander

Crazy Stupid Love

rojas.alexander — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:14:42 +0000

The infamous, multi-layered, twist-happy, dramedy/love story buoyed onto the screen by an all star (read: bankable) cast is a formula that often falls flat (for your viewing displeasure: Garry Marshall’s Valentine’s Day – yikes). Crazy Stupid Love is lucky to be armed with a sparkly ensemble cast whom, as a unit, possesses a severe knack for speaking the words of a screenplay with a grounded finesse that feels, for lack of a more exciting term…real.

Steve Carell is Cal Weaver, Mr. Every Dad Next Door, who seems content in the wrong sized suits, New Balance sneakers, and is the proud owner of a Velcro wallet. In all his contentment, he is blindsided by the announcement that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), has been sleeping with some other guy (played by the always adept and delightfully offbeat Kevin Bacon), and subsequently she would like a divorce after 25 years of marriage. The only appropriate response to this news would be to roll out of a moving vehicle, so Cal does just that and on we go into the mid-life crisery of any worthy (or unworthy) family comma/dramedy.

Julianne Moore accomplishes the nuances required to make an unsympathetic character seem relatable and her uncertainty about her own life is somehow acceptable because she seems to garner genuine concern for her husband’s well-being despite her obvious flaws and failures as a wife. Sure, Ryan Gosling is great eye candy and it’s refreshing to see him pull off this type of light, bouncy comedy with relative ease, but Emma Stone is the real standout of the cast. She slips effortlessly into the role of the dream girl who also happens to have self-esteem, a sense of humor, and a brain (ah the elusive total package!). Stone’s a refreshing, gorgeous riot with an infectious laugh and dare I say it, a long, hearty career ahead of her. She would be wise to start designing her award case now and make sure it is multi-shelved. A special mention should be made to Marisa Tomei’s performance as a recovering alcoholic teacher, who unpleasantly and hilariously discovers her liaison with Cal is not as it seems.

Steve Carell is pure gold. That’s all. He is utterly fantastic and as charming as we have come to expect of him. The guy has this thing on lockdown, what else can I say?

Crazy Stupid Love is a really wonderful film, with some nice plot twists and a playful pace. Much of this is a testament to a phenomenal cast, but this is also a credit to the impressive screenplay by Dan Fogelman. Here’s the bottom line: See this movie if you just happen to have a fondness for good movies, or even if you just really like Spandau Ballet’s “True” which (spoiler alert) pops up in a pinnacle scene much to my delight. Great song. Even greater movie.

The Greatest

rojas.alexander — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:10:35 +0000

Films that center upon the nature of the grieving process are often quite tricky to balance out. After all, who wants to spend a couple of hours feeling the pain and suffering that accompanies a sudden death? Such is the challenge of a film like The Greatest (written and directed by fledgling filmmaker Shana Feste). There is a delicate line that must be walked in order to represent the reality of grief, while still maintaining a bit of humor as well as a thin thread of the simple joys that life can sometimes offer in the most surprising ways amidst even the greatest of tragic circumstances. The Greatest succeeds in this tightrope walk. Despite the heavy and harrowing subject matter, Feste’s piece brings her audience to a place where we can recognize that grief may be long-lasting and forever challenging, but that life, indeed, must go on.
The Greatest takes off just before the scene of an automobile accident that takes the life of 18-yearold Bennett Brewer (the sparkly-eyed Aaron Johnson). Bennett is newly in love with classmate Rose (the serene and adept, Carey Mulligan) the young woman riding in his passenger seat, who escapes the scene with only a broken arm, and a broken heart. Rose is about to discover that she is not only pregnant with Bennett’s child, but also without a home, as her mother has just entered into a rehabilitation center. Knocking on the door of the grief-stricken Brewer household, the story truly begins. The tightly wound weaving of grief and Rose’s impending pregnancy is where this story truly lies. The Brewer’s unraveling family dynamics are a worthy match to a perhaps ill-timed pregnancy, which Rose chooses to accept by “handling it like a total Republican.”
Rose’s mission is to learn everything she can about Bennett, a boy she truly loved from a distance for 4 years before they finally had their first date, only weeks before his death. This feat is one that is not quite the top priority of Bennett’s emotionally distraught parents, Allen and Grace Brewer (Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon, respectively), as well as Bennett’s younger brother Ryan (excellently portrayed by Johnny Simmons). Each Brewer family member mourns the loss of Bennett in specifically individual ways – none of which seem to be helpful to themselves or to their ravaged family unit, much less their newfound roommate Rose. What is the appropriate way to grieve? Is there one? Psychology textbooks may suggest there is. In reality, the grieving process is far too personal and complicated for the advised step-by-step instructions toward a sound, and stable mind and heart.
Allen Brewer (Brosnan) begins to shed light on some of the specifics of his son’s personality and short life, upon Rose’s continuing interest, as she hopes to fill out her unborn child’s baby book and has little to add on her own about Bennett. Pierce Brosnan is really the standout performance, amongst an utterly capable cast. In an early scene, the screen centers on Allen’s face as he sits amongst his family in the car as they leave the funeral. Allen’s devastation is heartbreakingly real, and is just a sliver of what is to come of this performance. Rose continues the push to learn the most specific of details. For example, Grace eventually divulges that her son liked to eat Cheerios in pairs so they wouldn’t be alone in his tummy for the digestion process.
The Greatest, to its’ deficit, is saccharine in moments. However, a sharp and poignant script, buoyed by a menagerie of strong performances, help the film tremendously. Supporting roles peformed by the ever-impressive Michael Shannon and charming Zoe Kravitz help to anchor the load of the material. It says quite a bit, that a film about death and its’ aftermath leaves the audience with a feeling of optimism, and a reminder that life is always what remains and must be faced, despite the struggle that heartbreak and great loss will too often bring.

Date Night

rojas.alexander — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:38:52 +0000

Date Night is like a slice of apple pie in movie form in that it delivers what is promised, nothing more and nothing less. Tina Fey and Steve Carell have come to be known for delivering a nicely packaged comedy, and neither ever disappoint in this genre (The 40-Yearold Virgin and Baby Mama being two of the more successful comedies in recent years). In a very light and relatable story, they are each able to play off each other’s impeccable comic timing as Claire and Phil Foster, a 40-something married couple who just want to have fun on a rare night out on the town, away from the hassles of everyday life in suburbia.
What we have here is the story of a night out that goes terribly awry in the most un-realistic, yet delightfully hilarious ways. I found myself in a nearly constant state of laughter once the Foster’s night of hi-jinks begins, triggered by their posing as another couple in order to get a reservation at the implausibly exclusive and trendy dinner hotspot, Claw. Yes, Claw. Claw is the type of place where you might have to dip into your child’s college fund to get a decent sized entrée’ all while trying not to notice that Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas is seated just a table away enjoying a similarly over-priced meal. The night takes a turn for the worse when the stolen reservation happens to be for a couple being tailed by a couple of thugs who want a particular disk from the misidentified Foster’s and will stop at nothing to retrieve it.
Fantastically random celebrity cameo’s scatter amongst the wreckage of the Foster’s night out and include hilarious turns by James Franco, Mark Wahlberg, Leighton Meester, Kristen Wiig, and Mila Kunis. Wiig, playing a slightly whacked out friend who has come to accept that her marriage is really just to a very good roommate (Mark Ruffalo) encourages Claire to “walk amongst the birds.” The Foster’s do just that, whatever that means, in just under 90 minutes ( a perfect length for a simple comedy).
While both Tina Fey and Steve Carell are more than capable on-screen, and have contributed much to the genre individually over the years, Date Night is Carell’s movie. Often accused of playing a similar prototype in each of his highly successful film roles, which is up for debate, this performance is one that will remind you of some of the great comedic actors of our time. Carell has certainly marked his territory in the comedy world. He is, at times, brilliantly adept when it comes to inducing bouts of audience hysteria with something as simple as an awkward facial expression, or equally awkward response to some sort of awful predicament.
Date Night (directed by Night at the Museum’s Shawn Levy and written by Shrek’s Josh Klausner) is a typical comedy that will keep you laughing and amused throughout. Will it register as one of the best comedies in recent times? Probably not. Is it either Tina Fey’s or Steve Carell’s best work to date? Frankly, no. However, Date Night serves its’ purpose dutifully and is worth the price of admission on your next night out at the movies. And a word to the wise: on your next night out, refrain from stealing another couple’s reservation just because you’d really just love to have a meal next to Will.I.Am. It may not be worth it.

The Runaways

rojas.alexander — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:30:25 +0000

The Runaways (directed and written by Floria Sigismondi) is a satisfying film (based on Cherie Currie’s book) about girls and rock n’ roll, that is worth seeing for the outstanding performances, if not for a less than riveting sequence of events. A troubled teen by the name of Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) finds a home as the lead singer of a burgeoning rock n’ roll band in the mid 1970’s, only to find this new home and world will rock her world far beyond the groundbreaking music she will help give birth to. Some say The Runaways, were the first authentic, female-driven rock band. The music speaks for itself, and I am inclined to agree with this sentiment. These women certainly paved the way for women, particularly young women, to hold their ground without apology in a field that had and has been typically male-dominated. Women were encouraged to sing sweet songs about love, and loss, as long as they didn’t get too rowdy or show raw and more aggressive emotions with the roar of a guitar, or by nearly screaming into a microphone. The Runaways did just that, if only for a short time.
While this story is powerful and important, especially for those who love music and are fascinated with its’ history, this film lacks a fervor and a specific direction. Luckily, standout performances by Michael Shannon and Kristen Stewart (out of left field) are enough to keep us watching, and to keep us caring about these young women and their mission. Stewart’s Joan Jett is a truly startling surprise. Joan Jett herself is quite an interesting and powerful persona all on her own, and yet this portrayal injects mystery and intrigue that makes her the most provocative character on screen. Stewart needs to do so little to convey Jett as she was: strong, massively talented, and a force to be reckoned with – the type to speak softly but carry a big stick. This film will leave you wanting to know even more about Jett, and that is a tribute to both Stewart and Jett herself.
Fanning is good but not great which is what we have come to expect from the impressive resume she has amassed in just 16 years. This is not her best work, and I feel certain she will prove she is a force with time. The talent is there, but it is less apparent in this portrayal then in films past. She is up to par as Currie, but still not as striking or impactful as Stewart, who steals every scene right out from under the pretty blond.
The band’s frighteningly charming and manipulative manager Kim Fowley is in the hands of the outrageously capable Michael Shannon, who some may remember from his fantastic , Oscar-nominated turn in last year’s Revolutionary Road. Shannon is magnificent as Fowley, the sharp and steadfast manager who knows how to shake these girls up to produce the best possible end result : strong, and powerful music as well as the necessary public image that these girls are tough as nails. Fowley is ruthless, but he knows how to win in the industry, and Shannon is clearly no different in his pursuit to channel Fowley’s purpose. Michael Shannon is absolutely magnetic and worthy of any accolades that may come his way, and I predict they will in spades.
The Runaways meets its’ goal in that you will be hard-pressed to leave the theater and not be humming the songs that made these girls temporary stars. Kristen Stewart and Michael Shannon lift an otherwise mediocre film off the ground in performances that will knock your socks off, while being so inherently different from one another: Stewart’s grace and subtlety is such a different method from Shannon’s brilliant lunacy. If you love music, you will love The Runaways. I dare you to leave this movie and not find yourself with “Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-Cherry Bomb!!” floating around in your head for at least a week to come.

A Single Man

rojas.alexander — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:38:36 +0000

George Falconer has reached the end. Blank letterhead, with his name in calligraphy spelled across the top, sits perfectly still atop his desk, held down by a paperweight in the form of a handgun. The memo is blank and so is Mr. Falconer’s future. His future has been pinned down, also, by the weight of the same handgun. All has been lost, and today, George will make certain that the pain he has endured in the eight months since his life partner was killed in an automobile accident, will finally come to an end. But first, he must get through the day. A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford (yes, of Gucci) is George’s story of weathering life while struggling with the disparity between clarity and obscurity.
Obscurity is defined as darkness, or indistinctiveness. George Falconer (Oscar-nominated Colin Firth) has learned that a life without love is simply dim, relentless, unimaginable, and even futile (an irony for an English teacher who makes a living quoting many a writer who would beg to differ). Glimpses of flashbacks of moments he had with his partner of 16 years (Matthew Goode) help to illustrate the power that love can have over an otherwise ordinary life, and the buoyancy love often gives us to push forward through the everyday trifles that life will too often bear. “Love, love, love, all you need is love,” says one of millions of love songs we have heard and will hear over time. What if what you need, all you need, has been robbed from you, in such a tragic and abrupt capacity that life simply can not be endured?
Set in 1962 Los Angeles, George’s last day (or is it?) is filled with chance encounters with students, old friends (particularly a hilarious turn by Julianne Moore), daily routines, and the haunting memories that remain too close for comfort, swirling around in George’s mind in an endless mirage.
“A few times in my life I’ve had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh. I can never make these moments last. I cling to them, but like everything, they fade. I have lived my life on these moments. They pull me back to the present, and I realize that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be.” George’s words remain the evidence of his good fortune to have at least felt the depth of clarity and contentment in years past, though now stripped from him along with the love he has lost.
A Single Man excels as poetry in the form of a visual masterpiece, pleasing to the eye with every scene, and with each use of color, down to its specific tone. It is clear Ford’s resume in fashion has served him well in understanding how to attract and hold the attraction of the viewer, even before the diligent and effective screenplay (also courtesy of Tom Ford, based on Christopher Isherwood’s novel) unfolds to create a partnership of candy for the senses. With such a grave story unfolding before us, the surprise lies in the way that comedy has been spliced ever so delicately throughout the film, both with subtlety and effectiveness.
Performances of this caliber are simply not given very often, and all the main actors do their best work in this moving and exceptional piece. We are left only to remember that life is about both clarity and obscurity and to feel either one, you must also feel the other. Such is life…and thank goodness for that.

Remember Me

rojas.alexander — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:04:33 +0000

Life has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Remember Me is a story about how to make it through the middle, while dealing with the aftermath of facing the inevitable ending of the lives of those we love. This middle part becomes all the more challenging when those we love are taken far too early to be accepted gracefully. Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson) is anything but graceful. His beloved older brother Michael has been gone six years, having succumbed to the depths of a depression that ultimately caused him to take his own left at just 22 years old. Tyler is now just inches away from his own 22nd birthday and grappling with the why’s and how’s of becoming an adult, wondering what the point of life really is.

The film focuses on the universal themes of love, loss, and the understanding we must all come to with our loved ones in order to have peace. In Tyler’s case, he seems to be inclined to blame his emotionally absent father (Pierce Brosnan) for his deceased brother’s doomed feelings of alienation. Tyler resorts to angry outbursts and emotional tirades as a means of waking his father up to those children, including his younger sister Caroline, (Ruby Jerins) who are still living and searching for their father’s deficient attention.Entwined in the emotion of the unraveling family dynamics, is the central love story between Tyler and his classmate Ally (Emilie de Ravin), no stranger to tragedy herself, whom he meets as a result of a bet – one that ends up turning his life upside down.

Stellar performances from the lead actors only slightly outweigh a biting and truthful screenplay (written by Will Fetters) which contributes depth to a distinctive and visually enticing cinematic style. This stylized composition is complements of director Allen Coulter, a relative newcomer in film, but who comes to the table having contributed to the magnetic visual seduction of television shows such as The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and more recently, Nurse Jackie. The final scenes of the film are a testament to a faultless instinct and vision that can only surely predict a promising future filmography.

Robert Pattinson, fresh from the campy and pandering vampire trilogy Twilight, is equal parts surprising and effective as Tyler, a Holden Caulfield-esque youg man, flailing through life with just one single purpose. He wants to fix his family. The relationship Tyler has with his young sister Caroline is one that is eerily reminiscent of the main relationship in J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, and is equally moving and hopeful. Pattinson simply knocks it out of the park in this role, and I can not say I could have seen this performance coming. Twilight has simply not done his talent justice and unfortunately many movie-goers may associate him with that trilogy for many years to come – those who do may miss out on what I predict will be a long lasting, and interesting career. I could not have imagined saying this prior to seeing this film, but I am afraid Robert Pattinson has arrived, and this brooding young Brit has done good.

The final scenes of the film are ominous and disturbing – yet impeccable. For those unaware of the fate that awaits Tyler, the ending will leave you breathless. In the end, we remember something Tyler mentioned earlier : “Gandhi said that whatever you do in life will be insignificant. But it’s very important that you do it. I tend to agree with the first part.” Tyler’s mission may be insignificant on a grander scale, but he succeeds nonetheless. Remember Me will surely resonate and linger with its’ audience long after the credits roll, something only a truly confident and penetrating film can accomplish.

Two Lovers

rojas.alexander — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:34:36 +0000

A love story set in Brooklyn, NY spins a very familiar tale of a woman who loves a man, who loves another woman, who loves another man, who appears to love his wife. Of course, none of the assembled characters love each other, and isn’t that a story we have heard once or twice before? Fortunately, a well-appointed leading actor manages to lift this bleak and oft-told premise to a higher level of intrigue. Two Lovers, directed and co-written by James Gray, is simply a relatable story of unrequited love.
Joaquin Phoenix is Leonard, an offbeat, somewhat reclusive, 30-something man who lives in his parents’ apartment. Leonard leads a dull, forlorn, existence until the week he meets two potential love interests – two striking women who seemingly drop out of the clear blue Brooklyn sky into his monotonous and idle world. The two female candidates are Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Sandra (Vinessa Shaw). Passionate and frenetic Michelle is the neighbor whose emotional universe revolves around an affair she is having with her married boss. Brimming with an energy that would seem irresistible to a man numbed of feeling, Michelle becomes a world unto herself in Leonard’s mind. Michelle, perhaps, suggests that maybe there is another way beyond the world Leonard had previously comprehended. Sandra, however, is the logical choice for a companion – sweet and unpresuming, yet she lacks a vital lust for anything more than the obvious and practical life.
I suppose Leonard’s story tells the same one we all have known or should be lucky enough to experience in our lives: the onslaught and nature of love can be powerful enough to spark a change in the most melancholy of hearts. Paltrow seems to lack enough natural charm and “je ne sais quoi” to embody a Michelle that is irresistible to the audience, as much so as she is to Leonard. Phoenix is the standout performance amongst able actors, single-handedly redeeming a plot that has very little to say that has not been said, or shown before in more moving films of similar subject matter.
Probably not a film that will be remembered for years to come, Two Lovers has its’ moments of gripping honesty, in its pursuit of portraying the tragic and compelling nature that a deep love can have on a lost soul. As Michelle lays in bed, after suffering the grief of her own loss, she asks Leonard to write something on her arm – a tactic her grandmother would use to soothe her into falling asleep as a child. It’s a moving moment that is unique in a sequence of scenes that seem to lack a depth gripping enough to surpass the quality of just another ordinary love story.

He’s Just Not That Into You

rojas.alexander — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:07:15 +0000

The rights to a well-known and droll self-help book about dating. Check. Equally popular and capable cast. Check. Well placed 80’s pop songs. Check. Release date on or close to February 14th. Check. Produced by Drew Barrymore and Flower Films, well known for a string of romantic comedy touchdowns. Check. Onslaught of promotional appearances and peppy commercials. Check. Greenlight!
He’s Just Not That Into You is a perfect melting pot of all the ingredients required for a chick-flick grand slam. This is precisely why a large population of the movie-going public will be turned off by the sheer idea of this movie almost immediately, thinking something along the lines of, “psychobabble mumbo-jumbo about needy women and their dating woes in cinematic form…no thanks, I’ll pass.” This marketing dream of a film ended up exceeding my mediocre expectations, and hitting a home run anyway. Based on the popular 2004 book of the same title by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, viewers get a glimpse into a cluster of relationships , almost-relationships, chemistry-riddled friendships, and floundering marriages that all proceed toward one key idea: forcing any sort of relationship will almost always end in its downfall. Another main theme is the idea that love is something that often happens while you are seeking it elsewhere and with Mr. or Miss Wrong. Basically – relax, ladies (and lovelorn men)! Love has a knack for falling into your lap when you least expect it will.
The all-star padded cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, producer Drew Barrymore, Kevin Connolly, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, and Ben Affleck – a packed house of popular, charming and even critically acclaimed talents. Often times, one may assume if a film seems too desperate for the public’s attention with its dreamy assembly of the above-mentioned big-hitters, that it must be at a lack for content. Not quite so. Although this movie solves no world problems, and may not bludgeon its viewers with deep and meaningful questions upon leaving the theater, it is still an enjoyable ride. The film’s meandering and cleverly interwoven storylines neither proves or disproves Mr. Behrendt’s theories, instead opting to suggest that sometimes he is just not that into you, and sometimes he is just that into you. Often times it happens to be very obvious if he is into you or not, but only if you can take the dating game in stride (re: eliminating pressure on oneself or on one’s potential suitors).
The suggestion is made that by placing as little pressure on finding love as possible it may be easier to come by all together. I find this idea doubles as a perfect mindset to have before seeing this film. Don’t expect to be shaken and stirred with new insights and theories about life and love, but rather, enjoy this film for what it is. He’s Just Not That Into You is a perfect storm of the elements that create an experience that is what movies at their best should be: a fun, no pretenses, slice of life, and The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love” splashed in as the credits roll, for good measure.

Revolutionary Road

rojas.alexander — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:00:42 +0000

‘Flawless’ is a word often misused, perhaps overused, and very rarely is it an accurate description of anything. However, Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road, a crisp, raw, heart-wrenching glimpse inside a broken and breaking marriage, is just that – without a single flaw. This gem of a film is quite stunningly acted by each of an impeccable cast, seamlessly edited, and succeeds in striking just the right balance between showing the viewer the story and letting the viewer make up their own mind about the mysteries of two people caught in a world they have created – an everyday sort of life. How much of a prison can an everyday sort of life be, you ask? There are fates far worse, you may say, then a charming house in the suburbs, an attractive and interesting spouse, two healthy children and the daily rat race. Ah, but you would be forgetting that to a soul that seeks a special life, a different sort of existence, and longs for adventure – this everyday life can indeed be a prison of the soul.
Frank and April Wheeler (superbly acted by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) live the suburban life. Their neighbors consistently speak highly of them.. They are perfectly charming and polished – always maybe a notch above the average couple in 1950’s suburbia. They are also miserable. Each is longing to go back – go back to a time when life was for the taking, when the decisions that lead them to the lives they must now lead had not yet been made and the world was their oyster. That time has passed, and now what? Can a young family simply leave their lives behind – perhaps uproot themselves and find a new life, a new adventure in Paris, France? Is leaving the security of the life you have built worth a chance at a “special” life? I say yes. Most would not agree – or perhaps, they would agree but would never dare to follow through with such a bold move. The film is based off the novel by Richard Yates and explores these and many other questions – sort of a painting of the panic attack that may arise when life has been decided and with each new day your reality is more abundantly clear – there is no new path awaiting you. Each day will be more or less like the one before, and the one after. I suppose it is all how you see your life, and many find a predictable life just as fulfilling as starting over in a brand new country, with new hope and new avenues to explore. Frank and April Wheeler are explorers who at some point decided to cease the exploration of the possibilities of the world, and with that, they also chose to stop exploring their innermost desires and fears. Frank Wheeler says it best when he begins to awaken to his true nature, a nature which lusts for a greater life: “All I know is that I want to feel things. Really feel them. How’s that for an ambition?” I say that is the truest and greatest ambition a human being could hold – for it is far too easy to learn not to feel.
One can not ask more of a film, or any work of art for that matter, then to provoke thought. Revolutionary Road is flawless in this feat. It evokes many, many questions about the journey that is life and the decisions that seal our fate. Revolutionary Road encourages feeling, and I say that is quite a formidable purpose.
Revolutionary Road is a film I recommend highly.

Lars and the Real Girl

rojas.alexander — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

What’s wrong with a grown man with a life sized doll on his arm as he attends church? Absolutely nothing–that is, if you live in the small town depicted in Lars and the Real Girl. Call me crazy, but if I were to encounter a man who believed a blow up doll, complete with suggestively seductive clothing, to be his soul mate, I wouldn’t feel quite comfortable enough to attempt to uncover what might be the root of such a delusion. Therein, lies the simple beauty of a film with a potentially, and seemingly crass idea: that, in a perfect world, perhaps we might look beyond the initial horror of such a strange, even revolting, behavior? Maybe we’d even decide to see what’s the matter?
In a medium immersed in raunchy and even raunchier comedies, one might make the mistake of assuming a plot such as the one in the film can only mean two things: an R rating and little or no substance. However, one would also have to take into account that the story is anchored by a compellingly simple performance by Ryan Gosling. There was nothing creepy about this man who makes sure his doll, Bianca, always wears her seatbelt, tells her life story with detailed enthusiasm, and who cannot contain his pride as he introduces her to his neighbors and friends. Gosling plays Lars Lindstrom, a loner by any definition. Lars lives in his brother’s garage and keeps to himself-choosing a life of solitude over endless invites to join his brother and pregnant wife for dinner, just across the driveway. He barely says a word, seemingly pained in uncertainty by any attempt at communicating with another being. He is sweet and functional yet he lacks what his brother and sister-in-law hope might bring him a new lease on life–a companion. Imagine their shock when Lars’ new girlfriend arrives in a UPS delivery box.
Directed by Craig Gillespie, the film is also delicately written by Nancy Oliver, no stranger to dark themes as a veteran writer of HBO’s Six Feet Under. The simple, quirky nature of the dialogue, subtle humor and upbeat attitude of the townspeople who love and embrace all of Lars’ eccentricities, create an alternate universe where psychopathology is accepted. This creates a sense that all those whom encounter Lars’ are rooting for his unlikely recovery, and if not, are content to watch him find happiness-albeit in the arms of a plastic woman.
So is Lars’ fascination and love for Bianca a breakdown or a major breakthrough? It may depend on your own stance on mental illness, or perhaps you may have understood the fear associated with leaving your heart in the potentially incapable hands of a human being? Maybe Lars has the right idea. Wouldn’t it be easier to stay on the safe side, and leave your heart in the hands of an inanimate object that could never damage it, the way life and people can and do? Lars’ experience is an extreme depiction of the fear of trusting another human being. So, in the end, his unconventional journey may be one that is actually one we know all too well.
The film succeeds most markedly in its performances. Gosling created a fragile, terrified, yet courageous Lars who must face the depth of his fears in order to grow up. Lars doesn’t feel sorry for himself–so we never feel sorry for him. The indispensable supporting cast includes Patricia Clarkson, Kelli Garner, Paul Schneider, and Emily Mortimer. Lars and the Real Girl is a refreshingly creative piece on one man’s struggle to begin to endure the pain of love, and the aftermath of lost love–that is, to begin to live his life. Despite a plastic main character, Lars and the Real Girl is charmingly real.
Highly recommended.