Ruby Sparks (2012)

A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.

Directors:

Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Writer:

Zoe Kazan

Stars:

Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening

1 win & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Dano	...	Calvin Weir-Fields
Zoe Kazan	...	Ruby Sparks
Chris Messina	...	Harry
Annette Bening	...	Gertrude
Antonio Banderas	...	Mort
Aasif Mandvi	...	Cyrus Modi
Steve Coogan	...	Langdon Tharp
Toni Trucks	...	Susie
Deborah Ann Woll	...	Lila
Elliott Gould	...	Dr. Rosenthal
Alia Shawkat	...	Mabel
Jane Anne Thomas	...	Saskia
John F. Beach	...	Adam
Eleanor Seigler	...	Mandi
Emma Julia Jacobs	...	Party Goer at Langdon's

Storyline

Calvin is a genius novelist who begins to type a new novel on his manual typewriter about Ruby, his dream girl. He can't believe his eyes, because the next day, Ruby becomes a real person, and they begin to have a beautiful relationship together. If the relationship isn't perfect, all Calvin has to do is simply type the words on the page and Ruby's actions change to what he needs.

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Plot Keywords:

imaginary character made real | writer's block | book comes to life | reference to f. scott fitzgerald | best selling author | 

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Taglines:

She's out of his mind.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including some sexual references, and for some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight [United States] Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

6 September 2012 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

He Loves Me

Filming Locations:

Big Sur, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$140,822, 29 July 2012, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,540,106

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,128,263

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Bona Fide Productions, DragonCove Studios

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Datasat SDDS Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Zoe Kazan, who plays Ruby Sparks, also wrote the screenplay for this film.

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Goofs

In their way to Big Sur, when they stop a while near the sea and leave the car, Ruby is carrying a purse. Immediately later, when they are playing "who kills the other first" you can see no purse at all.

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Quotes

Calvin Weir-Fields: She's a person.
Harry: You haven't written a person, okay? You've written a girl.

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Connections

References Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

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Soundtracks

Skinnamarink
Written by Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein and Bram Morrison

User Reviews

Metafiction

Paul Dano plays Calvin, a dead sad and dead serious young writer, who has apparently used the royalties from his one hugely popular novel to finance an ultramodern iPod-themed house, and yet still chooses to use a typewriter. In the depths of his writer's block he fashions a few choice sentences about a woman - Ruby Sparks - who is his dream girl. His literature makes her literal, and Calvin is able to control her moods and actions by typing. It's reminiscent of Stranger Than Fiction with Will Ferrell, although Dano plays his part more like Jim Carrey might have done a decade ago: broad and physical, but with subtlety and pathos behind the mugging.

In a welcome tonal shift, Ruby Sparks moves gradually from hip romantic comedy to meta-horror - although it feels like there's a bit too much of the former, as I got the feeling that the zany pixie girl and self- hating writer stereotypes were being indulged more than they were being deconstructed. So what could have been a really interesting Woody Allen-esque philosophical rabbit-hole ends up cutting a far more familiar, shallower groove. But still, it's satisfying to see a cautionary flourish to go with the wish fulfilment.

Ruby herself is played by Zoë Kazan, granddaughter of the great Elia (On the Waterfront et al), with great energy and some charm. Kazan also wrote the film. So we have a film about art imitating life, written by the actor playing the title character, starring her real-life partner (Dano), and directed by the real-life partnership of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (best known for Little Miss Sunshine). So it's a helluva conundrum; but it's also well-made, sometimes funny and thought- provoking, and includes amusing cameos from Elliot Gould, Annette Bening, Steve Coogan and Antonio Banderas - so definitely worth a watch.