Lars and the Real Girl

I have just finished a movie that I need to recommend - Lars and the Real Girl. My daughter had this movie in her queue from Netflix and she just loved it. So, because of the rain wiping out 4th of July events, she talked me and my hubby into watching this movie.

I have cried for, laughed at and felt empathy for - wait for it - a life-like doll! Lars is a man who has withdrawn from real life after the death of his father. In order to help himself cope with the day-to-day dealings of life, he orders this doll over the internet. His brother thinks he's crazy (I guess I would too if it were my brother!).

The entire community gets behind this "girl" in order to help Lars overcome his anxiety. This was a wonderful story about the human condition and the support someone receives when people actually care.

If I had been in a video store and read the box for this movie, I would never in a million years have picked this movie to watch. But after watching it, I'm so glad I did.

This movie won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Also, Ryan Gosling, who played Lars, won for Best Actor from the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.

Plot summary from the IMDB website:

In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The only problem is that she's not real - she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he's nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always.