Here's a movie to put on your Netflix list: Lars and the Real Girl.
It's a funny movie about a fellow who buys a life-size blow-up doll, and falls in love with it. It sounds creepy, but it turns out to be one of those heart-warming, life-affirming movies that we all need once in a while. I had never heard of it until it was recommended by a friend, so of course everybody else has probably seen it already.
8 comments:
I saw this movie some time ago (we bought it previously viewed because I read good things about it).
It was heartwarming--in a way, but I didn't find the main character, Lars, particularly likeable and the fixation with the rubber doll was a bit too out there for me. I had a hard time too, believing that an entire community would go to such lengths to keep up the charade of the doll being real.
I'm not saying it was a bad movie, just that it really asked you to stretch your belief way beyond what I could manage.
I came from Jeannelle's blog, by the way.
Kat
P.S. We may not see eye to eye on this film, but I looked at your profile and I'm with you on most of your choices. I'm also a big Kate Bush and Leonard Cohen fan.
Kat
To me, the fact that everyone in town went along with the "delusion" is what made it so funny! Maybe it is possible in a small community ... or maybe we would like it to be possible.
In the end, Lars gets healed ... and without Bianca and his community helping him by allowing him his "delusion", his healing wouldn't have happened.
Hi Poetikat,
Thanks for your comments. I recognized your name from Midlife by Farmlight, but did not know you were a Leonard and Kate fan, too! That's a rare combo, I think. If you didn't spot it earlier, you might want to see my "An Evening with Leonard Cohen" post earlier this month. I have no posts about Kate Bush because I am a happily married man and want to keep it that way.
I was fully prepared to be creeped out by the blow-up doll, but the "relationship" was so chaste (as Lars says, she was a conservative, religious girl) that I was able to get over it, mostly.
A significant premise of the movie is that people are kind, and want to do the right thing. This is preposterous, of course. But I was charmed every time I expected something ugly to happen, and it did not.
So I agree that the movie was not believable, but I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to laugh and enjoy a movie about people who cared for each other, even when caring took them places they never thought they would go.
Good people can disagree, I hear.
Anybody else see it?
No, I haven't seen it, but now would like to. Gotta love a guy named Lars. Was MinneSOta the setting for this film?
Hi!
My husband and I saw Leonard at our local Arts Centre last May and although I have seen many concerts in my day, it was unquestionably the best. He was so gracious and humble it was wonderful, but he did all the great songs - my favourite is "The Stranger Song" from the Field Commander Cohen album and of course, "Suzanne" gave me chills.
I only once saw KB in Toronto when she was promoting her Red Shoes album. I had taken a copy of Wuthering Heights for her autograph, but she was gone immediately after her appearance (there was no singing unfortunately - just a video), but I was still imminently grateful to my then boyfriend/now-husband of 15 years for persisting to win tickets from a radio station.
Oh, and yes, we can definitely agree to disagree.
Stop by sometime.
Kat
Imminently - that's not right! I think I meant eminently (or perhaps another word altogether.)
Kat
Jeannelle,
The exact location of the film was not disclosed. It could have been MinneSOta. It was filmed in Ontario, I think.
Sempringham
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