Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

A delusional young man strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet.

Director:

Craig Gillespie

Writer:

Nancy Oliver

Stars:

Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ryan Gosling	...	Lars Lindstrom
Emily Mortimer	...	Karin
Paul Schneider	...	Gus
R.D. Reid	...	Reverend Bock
Kelli Garner	...	Margo
Nancy Beatty	...	Mrs. Gruner
Doug Lennox	...	Mr. Hofstedtler
Joe Bostick	...	Mr. Shaw
Liz Gordon	...	Mrs. Schindler
Nicky Guadagni	...	Mrs. Petersen
Patricia Clarkson	...	Dagmar
Karen Robinson	...	Cindy
Maxwell McCabe-Lokos	...	Kurt
Billy Parrott	...	Erik
Sally Cahill	...	Deb

Storyline

In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The only problem is that she's not real - she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he's nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always loved.

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Plot Keywords:

introvert | sex doll | psychologist | in love with an inanimate object | mental illness | 

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Taglines:

The search for true love begins outside the box

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sex-related content

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

2 November 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lars y la chica real

Filming Locations:

Alton, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$90,418, 14 October 2007

Gross USA:

$5,972,884

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,293,523

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Lars Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To help Ryan Gosling stay in character, the real doll was treated like an actual person, as is done by the characters in the movie. She was dressed privately in her own trailer and was only present for scenes that she was in.

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Goofs

In the bowling scene, when Margo hits the pins, they all fall down. When the shot is returned to her, two pins in the left hand corner are left standing. Then when the shot is return the third time, all the pins are gone again.

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Quotes

Lars Lindstrom: I was hoping winter was over.
Margo: No, it's just a thaw - winter isn't over till Easter.

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Crazy Credits

Assistant Bianca Wrangler

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09 (2008)

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Soundtracks

Crashing My System
Written by Nicole Cherié Saletta (as Niki Saletta) and Jimmy Harry
Performed by Nicole Cherié Saletta (as Niki Saletta)
Courtesy of Moss Entertainment/MS-Pro

User Reviews

Lars and the Real Girl

I just saw this movie last night with friends and I'll admit I'd never heard of it. I knew it was worth watching when I was told Ryan Gosling was in it so I was mildly excited to see it. The first thirty minutes of the film are pretty damn funny and to some, almost hilarious. Very well done comedic acting that is real, believable, and still amazing to watch. Part of what makes the first thirty minutes so funny is because we know about the doll, and we can't wait for the first reactions. After that the story takes a wonderfully surprising turn to a really touching light drama. I was very surprised but I really loved it. A lot of people laughed throughout the film, and I was very much bothered by that. There is a reason this man is pretending that a "sex" doll is a real person, and its a very internal serious pain thats hes going through, which for me, understanding that part of the story, I felt it was mildly inappropriate for people to laugh, but I understood with time. Near the end of the film it gets a little predictable for one, some would say major, plot turn, but not so predictable as to ruin it. About 5 to 10 minutes before it happens you see it coming, but other than that it was superbly acted by Ryan Gosling who has nothing but an incredible career in front of him, and good supporting roles as well. This is a very enjoyable film, which I recommend to anyone and everyone. It really seems to have something for everyone, but be prepared it might make you laugh, cry, or both. Its a very very good movie, and definitely worth seeing in theaters.