Comedic yet poignantly thought-provoking, the charming Lars and the Real Girl tackles the sensitive subject of mental illness with the story of Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling).
A withdrawn, introspective man, Lars lives by himself in his family's garage. He shuns physical contact and does not socialize. His brother's wife, Karin (Emily Mortimer) worries over him and repeatedly invites Lars to dinner, but to no avail.
Things change unexpectedly when Lars announces to his brother and sister-in-law that he not only has a girlfriend, but she is coming to visit him. At first, big brother Gus (Paul Schneider) is shocked and Karin is delighted, but both are mortified when the extent of Lars' mental illness becomes apparent: His "girlfriend" turns out to be a sex doll named Bianca that he ordered over the Internet.
The rest of the movie is a touching display of community love and support as Gus, Karin and the rest of the town come together in their mutual love of Lars and play along with his delusion.
It is clear that Lars is not meant to be a comedy, but, rather than presenting a tour de force of passion and tension, director Craig Gillepsie ingeniously laces the film with scenes of comic relief, acknowledging that nothing in the human experience is solely black or white.
There's nothing funny about mental illness; yet, audience members can't help but chuckle. When deciding how to deal and cope with Lars' problem the interaction between Mortimer and Schneider is priceless. In their attempts to find an answer, their relationship becomes a paradigm of what a strong, lasting marriage should be.
Another source of both drama and comedy within the film is Lars' dynamic relationship with co-worker Margo (Kelli Garner). Despite his anti-social tendencies, she sees something in him-what that something is, I don't know-and never wavers in her yearning for him.
Continuing in the portrayal of everyday comical facets of life, the film uses the weekly sessions between Lars and the family doctor, Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson) to encapsulate both the universal discomfort of such visits and the paradoxical depths of character that can be uncovered.
The narrative of Lars Lindstrom is one anybody can relate to. It's a story we all can laugh at, feel saddened by and walk away from a little more human.
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