Ruby Sparks | Rotten Tomatoes

Ruby Sparks

R

Released Jul 25, 2012

1h 44m

Romance

Fantasy

List

79%

Tomatometer

183 Reviews

75%

Audience Score

25,000+ Ratings

Young author Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano), once a literary darling, is having trouble composing his next novel. Following a therapist's advice, Calvin pulls out an old manual typewriter and creates a vivacious, flame-haired woman he dubs Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan). Overnight, Ruby leaps from the page into Calvin's home as a real flesh-and-blood woman. And, what's more, she's unaware that she's actually a fictional character and that her actions and feelings are dictated by whatever Calvin writes.

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Critics Consensus

Cleverly written and wonderfully acted, Ruby Sparks overcomes its occasional lags in pace with an abundance of charm and wit.

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Elizabeth Weitzman

New York Daily News

Sometimes it's worth surrendering to cinematic enchantments, and Ruby Sparks makes a pretty good case for its own magic.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 8, 2013

Full Review

Linda Barnard

Toronto Star

Sure it's been done before -- man brings ideal woman to life -- but not quite like Ruby Sparks. And that sets this film up to be a smart and romantic low-key comedy that goes beyond expectations.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 8, 2013

Full Review

Justin Chang

Variety

If the result feels like a Pinocchio story that spends too much time with Geppetto, or a takedown of narcissism that never breaks free of what it's critiquing, Dano nonetheless makes Calvin compelling company.

Jan 8, 2013

Full Review

Michael Clark

Epoch Times

How empowered would you feel if you knew that whatever you wrote could immediately be physically realized? Would you tempt fate knowing that you could always go back and edit it, or would you try to try to stay true to your own inner core values?

Rated: 4/5

Dec 10, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The setup may be ancient in origin, but the treatment is sophisticated, beguiling, insightful, and brimming with charm.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 20, 2022

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Ten years after its release, Ruby Sparks remains one of the best films of 2012.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 27, 2022

Full Review

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Samara H

amazing i loved it so much.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/29/23

Full Review

Keegan P

It was a great concept, and it seemed to be an overall good movie, but something about the ending threw it all away. He did not deserve a second chance with her and she, despite being a creation, deserved better. The ending was very predictable, but the vibe of the movie kept me hopeful that it would take that turn and end in a sad, but heartfelt lesson learned kind of way. I wanted him to lose her, all of her, and realize he can't just make a perfect girl and learn to be at peace with life's options. I wanted her to find herself and simply BE without her creator. Again, sad in the sense that he lost the one thing he loved, but lesson learned which ultimately gave it a somewhat happy ending. You can't just go all... sad and eerie power trip... to aww he gets the girl in the end. NO!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/23/23

Full Review

Neil L

I feel like a changed man

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris tell a story about love and made from love starring Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Elliot Gould, Antonio Banderas, Chris Messina, Deborah Ann Woll, Steve Coogan, Navi Rawat, and Annette Benning Calvin is a successful writer but he's having trouble coming up with his next story Most of all he's had no luck when it comes to finding love The women he's met have no interest in him, only his talent and the idea of him Calvin seeks guidance from his therapist while coming up with the idea of writing about a woman named Ruby Sparks She's young, has red hair, and is everything he could dream of finding a partner But something miraculous happens....while making the story on his typewriter he's surprised to find a woman in his house believing she and him have always been together This woman Calvin realizes is the same woman he created from the page! Anything he types she can do whether speaking French etc. This brought me back to the likes of 'Stranger Than Fiction' where anything the author creates it actually comes true Calvin truly believes he's found the woman of his dreams but his best friend thinks it's crazy he can conjure up something that defies logic and explanation As time goes on though Calvin is having a hard time finally understanding the ups and downs of a relationship The rules, limitations, and expectations are things Calvin never considered Dano and Kazan are so darn cute together embracing one another The film has a magical quality to it but never entirely relies on it to the point of fantastical At a certain point the movie becomes sad and even a tad bit frightening focusing on toxic behavior and controlling one party in the relationship itself Appears to be a takedown of narcissism that never breaks free of what it's critiquing while examining the traumatic fallout of clash Of course that's something as viewers know that's not how love works, words can't change people, we have to learn to see people when they're there, falling in love is an act of magic much like writing, words don't come from you but through you Dayton and Faris make an adorable romance drawing the line between fantasy love and actual love that should exist Despite some pacing issues there's original writing here and some brilliant acting going beyond expectations

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/27/23

Full Review

norman osborns wife

Changed my life. Every time I think about this movie I break out in tears. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan why would you do this to me. Why.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/23

Full Review

M J

You want to fall in love with a movie, this could be one.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/28/23

Full Review

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Jonathan Dayton

Director

Valerie Faris

Director

Paul Dano

Calvin Weir-Fields

Zoe Kazan

Ruby Sparks

Antonio Banderas

Mort

Annette Bening

Gertrude

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Synopsis

Young author Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano), once a literary darling, is having trouble composing his next novel. Following a therapist's advice, Calvin pulls out an old manual typewriter and creates a vivacious, flame-haired woman he dubs Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan). Overnight, Ruby leaps from the page into Calvin's home as a real flesh-and-blood woman. And, what's more, she's unaware that she's actually a fictional character and that her actions and feelings are dictated by whatever Calvin writes.

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Producer: Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa
Screenwriter: Zoe Kazan
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Bona Fide Productions
Rating: R (Some Drug Use|Language|Some Sexual References)
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 25, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.5M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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