Lars and the Real Girl (2007) is a film that might seem like a silly comedy at first glance. Who wouldn’t laugh at the idea of Ryan Gosling dating a sex doll? I must admit that was my initial thought when I first heard about it. As a big fan of Ryan Gosling, I just had to watch it, and I quickly discovered that this is most certainly not a comedy.
Lars (Ryan Gosling) lives in the garage of his deceased parents’ house, while his older brother, Gus (Paul Schneider), lives in the house with his wife, Karin (Emily Mortimer). Lars’ mother died when he was born, causing his father to withhold affection. This, along with Gus leaving home, left Lars with severe social anxiety, resulting in a life of seclusion. He only leaves the garage to go to work or attend church.
One day, Lars orders a realistic sex doll, convincing himself that she is a real person—his new girlfriend, Bianca. From this point on, the film primarily follows how those around him respond and react to Bianca’s presence.
What I especially love about this film is something a good friend of mine once pointed out when we were discussing it. He said it’s a great film because “it doesn’t patronize or judge something that is so easy to make fun of,” and I couldn’t agree more.
As I mentioned earlier, the idea of Ryan Gosling dating a sex doll seems hilarious at first, but the film does a brilliant job of being respectful. Lars is not the butt of a joke; he is a person suffering from a mental delusion. Like the film, most of the characters treat him with respect and understanding rather than patronization.
A scene I especially love is when Lars has Bianca sent to the hospital because she has ‘fallen ill,’ and the news spreads around the small town. Everyone in the town seems genuinely upset to hear about Bianca, even when Lars isn’t around. This shows not only how much they care about Lars but also how they’ve grown to love Bianca, despite knowing she is an inanimate object.
When Bianca ‘dies,’ it is genuinely heartbreaking to watch, highlighting how well director Craig Gillespie handled the story. Shortly after Bianca’s death and funeral, we see Lars much more confident and seemingly over his social anxiety, showing that Bianca helped him heal. He no longer needs her. Lars soon begins to interact with Margo (Kelli Garner), his coworker who clearly likes him—and whom Lars probably liked all along.
As someone who struggles with social anxiety myself, though not as severely as Lars, I feel that this film is one of the best and most respectful representations of social anxiety and mental illness ever seen on film.
Hailing from Denmark, Andreas brings a bold and refreshing voice to the world of cinema. His sharp, often provocative takes don’t always align with conventional cinephile perspectives, but they never fail to spark engaging and spirited discussions. Known for his unwavering admiration for icons like Tom Hanks, Pilou Asbæk, and Steven Spielberg, Andreas is a cinephile with a unique viewpoint that transcends geographic boundaries. His playful, insightful approach makes him a vibrant figure in the film community—a movie lover with a knack for keeping conversations exciting and unpredictable.