I ended the indie streak with Lars and the Real Girl. The titular Lars (Ryan Gosling) is a sweet, fragile man who, rather than taking a chance on a real relationship, adopts Bianca, a sex doll, as his girlfriend. His concerned brother and sister-in-law (Paul Schneider and Emily Mortimer) play along, as does the rest of the small town, in hopes of his eventual psychological healing (if you couldn't already tell, Lars has some deep-set intimacy issues to resolve).
What's good about it: Like my other two choices, Lars and the Real Girl features superior acting, namely the standout performance by Ryan Gosling. He brings deep sympathy to Lars, who would normally be seen as absolutely insane or perverted, making the entire town's involvement seem at least somewhat plausible. The story, though not really the comedy it was marketed as, is also very original and touching (Bianca's introduction to Lars's brother and sister-in-law is, however, pretty funny).
What's not so good about it: Despite the strong writing, the film drags briefly in the middle. Some may also find the story hard to buy.
Bottom line: If you can believe the premise, chances are you'll love this sweet and creative tale of boy meets (plastic) girl.
That's it for the indie trilogy. Maybe give one of these movies a try next time you're having a Blockbuster or Netflix dilemna. In the meantime, I'll get back to coming up with some more recommendations...
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