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Although the original inventor of “love-dolls” remains unknown, as far back the the 17th century dolls have been used in some capacity to relive sexual tension or as a surrogate for basic human connection. One of the most popular manufacturers of these dolls (that were originally simply movable-display mannequins) is ‘RealDoll’, which is headed by Matt McMullen and started out of his garage in 1997.
Although a controversial subject of interest, technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence continue to make such dolls “more human” with tailored personalities of their own; consequently, ethical questions have been brought forward and remain as to whether or not the benefit of the ‘relationships’ developed with these dolls regularly outweigh what could be the repercussions if such advancements are unchecked or unregulated.
𝑺𝒆𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒆.
Lars and the Real Girl is a 2007 Canadian-American romantic comedy-drama film written by Nancy Oliver and directed by Craig Gillespie. It stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, and Patricia Clarkson.
Extremely shy Lars finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother and sister-in-law worry about him, so when he announces that he has a girlfriend he met on the Internet, they are overjoyed. But Lars' new ‘lady’ is a life-size plastic woman named ‘Bianca’. On the advice of a doctor, his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but 𝑳𝒂𝒓𝒔 is an acquired taste above all else as first impressions threaten to impose distance and curiosity seemingly in tandem. When asked, Oliver has been unwaveringly vague about the inspiration for this screenplay specifically, with references to a “previous job involving lonely men” and the discovery of ‘RealDolls’ being the ones most commonly provided. Putting it simply, 𝑳𝒂𝒓𝒔 is written like and moves with a delicate swarm of confidence and trepidation that act as both its needle and thread.
Provoked is likely to be a sense of disappointment from those in need of conflict resolution that indebts itself to an algorithm of absolutes; reserved, however, is a threshold of empathy that serves Lars and his peers in a profound and uncliched way.
The question is pretty simple: To what end can a synthetic partner be alluring outside of fantasies typically labeled as perverse?
The answer, however, is not.
Afflicted by haphephobia, Lars’ anxiety regarding physical touch is colligated with the relationship he maintains with the people in his surrounding community. Through expositional ripples a nuanced understanding of this apprehension when it comes to intimacy (in all forms) is achievable, with the 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 and consistency that Bianca (initially) introduces having a secondarily therapeutic effect on Lars’ overall wellbeing.
Contextually speaking, and perhaps my only complaint as someone that knows people with a mental health diagnosis, the trajectory of Lars’ concerning demeanor could have benefited from illumination or analytical hindsight in some measure; it is unclear whether Lars has always been “kind of strange” and is being introduced to the audience at what is a climax for his neighbors, or if his oddities are a relatively recent development.
Despite being self-imposed, the “chemistry” between Bianca and Ryan Gosling is uncomfortably real. In line with the delusional squander, Bianca was treated just like an actress on set: she had her own trailer, her own wardrobe team, and was only present for scenes that she was actually needed for. While not pulling rabbits out of hats, what Gosling brings here is unequivocally magic, with variances of stoicism and sensibility elevating the weighted intensity of his role, and improvised interactions captured with Bianca making the best of opportunities that necessitate creativity.
Inundated with temerity, borderline cynic criticism from nay-sayers has been aplenty as the absurdity that makes 𝑳𝒂𝒓𝒔 special to begin with is easy to take for granted. Notably, it is often pointed out that the communal response to Lar’s delusion is “obtusely optimistic”, and the lack of noticeably friction driven dynamics contributes to the lack of conflict-driven resolution alluded to above.
Interestingly enough, Gillespie had actually originally intended on writing and including a scene that would illustrate a more typified response to Lars’ relationship with Bianca; it was brief, and entailed an interaction where Lars would be chastised and mocked by his peers. Citing tonal inconsistencies, this plan was (in my opinion, rightfully) abandoned, and instead an overarching sense of unease is used to induce growth as opposed to hollow dissension. One scene in particular - where the ones that are concerned about Lars the most agree early on that they are all kind of weird in their own way - is so sincere despite being so 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒚, and lends to the reinforcement of Bianca being used as a convenient and non-judgmental companion. It is in the immersion of all this acceptance that Lars can begin healing from his losses, and in time he can come to terms with things that just aren’t meant to last forever.
Uncompromising in its contents and compassion confines, 𝑳𝒂𝒓𝒔 challenges audience members to take a leap of faith with its protagonist while validating their concerns in cautiously delightful amounts. Though precarious, the subjects pondered and conclusions made are broadly applicable, and if nothing else speaks to the impact that grace and charitable humanity can have when caring for others is complicated by uncertainty. Undeniably bizarre, between the skin and silicone is a rare glimmer of authenticity: and while uncanny, it’s really quite beautiful all the same.
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APB- Girl
" Manche Leute möchten nicht, dass man sie anfasst.............
Reviewed in Germany on October 16, 2016