If you haven't seen this movie, it's playing on most PPV Movie Channels these days. It's a well-thought out story about an awkward and shy man named Lars and his new delusional girlfriend (who's actually a Real Doll). The story is engrossing, and you just can't help but feel bad for the guy.
My fiancee and I watched it over the weekend, and while she watched it to QUOTE "see someone have sex with a doll" (she was disappointed, to say the least, LOL) - I took an interesting sense of self away from this movie. It was cute, and I often found myself yelling at the screen 'oh, COME ON!', but in a good way. It was just plain silly fun.
I saw it a few months back and I'm having a hard time remembering how I felt about it. I liked it but I guess it didn't leave much impression on me. It was a fine acting job by Gosling and a cute story. I enjoyed the brother's struggle with his responsibility for Lars' state (you know, as much as one can enjoy a man being emotionally torn apart with guilt for abandoning his brother to a bad family life that would eventually drive him insane). But beyond that? Eh.
While I think can accept that a small town would bend over backwards to feed his delusion I'm not sure I buy that they'd all be weird enough to be sucked into the delusion like they were. And ultimately the whole movie is just watching this go through therapy after a mental breakdown. But while Gosling does a good job I don't really remember caring about Lars or finding his growth all that entertaining. Which is why the brother probably struck me more because his issues, change, motivation, and redemption are all pretty clear. He was young and scared and couldn't deal with his family. When he came back he couldn't deal with his damaged brother and his brother didn't ask him to so they found a comfortable distance. He is freaked out by how bad his brother has gotten and doesn't think its a good idea to feed it. But he comes to realize that their family and his abandonment led to this and is overwhelmed with guilt. He manages to play along even though he disagrees with it because he thinks its what will make it easiest for his brother. And they have that nice talk where Lars asks him when he knew he was a man and he says when he realized he needed to do things for the people he loved no matter what he thought (or something like that).
So I liked the brother stuff and it was a cute story. But otherwise, eh.
EDIT: Oh, I liked the shrink too. Which I think is why I feel weird about the film. All the supporting characters strike me more interesting than Lars. The sister-in-law who so clearly wants to bridge the gap between the brothers and have a family. The girl who likes Lars because he's a nice guy but is willing to step back so as not to hurt him. And the general theme of everyone just kind of reaching out and making their lives a bit harder just to be kind to someone who is having a hard time. Lars is just kind of the crazy fucker making their lives a bit more difficult.
Or don't do either. If you can't find an image you like at either than don't force it. Just give me something you like and which will look good on the board.