I’m not one to gamble, but I’m willing to bet most of us have felt lonely or afraid to talk to a romantic interest at one point or another. 

In a uniquely different type of romantic comedy, “Lars and the Real Girl” explores this lonesome lifestyle as Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling) orders a sex doll online and forms a romantic relationship with it. 

This is much to the surprise of his brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and his sister-in-law Karin (Emily Mortimer).  

At first, the couple is very pleased to hear Lars is seeing someone, but that quickly turns into delusion after they realize it’s just a doll that Lars pushes around in a wheelchair. 

Gosling’s performance is one I have yet to see in him before.

I have seen him be charming in “The Notebook,” the ‘ideal male’ in “Barbie” and a stoic in “Blade Runner 2049,” but I have never seen him portray a loner before. 

For example, near the beginning of the film Lars is approached by Margo (Kelli Garner) who is a coworker to Lars that develops a crush on him. Instead of talking with her, Lars shuffles backwards before running away down the street. 

Don’t worry though, they make up for it by the end of the film. Somehow. 

Movies are meant to be fantastical and unrealistic in a sense, but “Lars and the Real Girl” takes things to a whole new level. 

As Lars becomes closer with his doll whom he named Bianca, the entire town he lives in agrees to support his delusion. Even when he sees the local doctor Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson), she too supports his delusion. 

The film makes Lars out to have a delusion and while the correct medical handling of such a thing is to support the delusion until it isn’t necessary any more to the deluded, it feels highly unrealistic for an entire town to unite under that same goal. 

Being a romantic comedy, the comedy is half of the equation to making this film successful for its genre. 

Unlike most romantic comedies where the humorous moments are easy to pick out from the romantic ones, “Lars and the Real Girl” blurs those lines together. 

To highlight an example, there is a section of the film where Lars takes Bianca to a party. Deluded, Lars gets up to get drinks for the two of them.  

While doing so, two guys ask Lars about Bianca and mention how she’s “anatomically correct” to which Lars doesn’t even acknowledge. 

The humorous moment here is easy to pick out, being the “anatomically correct” phrase, but it’s not surrounded by a witty segment. Instead, it’s a quick and subtle line that allows it to be funny without trying to be funny. 

This is also aided by the lack of computer-generated imagery, as everything in the film is shot practically, which is a rarity nowadays compared to the film’s original release year of 2007. 

“Lars and the Real Girl” managed to capture my attention as a different type of romantic comedy compared to what is prominently seen within the genre. With the greatness of Gosling at the forefront and subtle humor, the film allows for the whole family to have fun and forget how unrealistic the plot actually is. 

Rating: 3/5 

Luke Brewer can be reached at 581-2812 or at lsbrewer@eiu.edu.