Lars and the Real Girl

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Lars and the Real Girl

PG-13

2007

1h 47m

Comedy

Drama

Romance

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Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

137 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Extremely shy Lars (Ryan Gosling) finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother (Paul Schneider) and sister-in-law (Emily Mortimer) 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. On the advice of a doctor (Patricia Clarkson), his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion.

Critics Consensus

Lars and the Real Girl could've so easily been a one-joke movie. But the talented cast, a great script, and direction never condescends to its character or the audience.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/23/2018

Lars and the Real Girl not only wimps out but has also, at its heart, a fake doll that may be the least fake thing in it.

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Liz Hoggard

London Evening Standard

01/11/2018

The film is often very funny. The acting is first-class, especially Gosling, who never patronises his character.

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Helen O'Hara

Empire Magazine

03/20/2008

4/5

A strangely affecting romance with real heart - and another sign that Gosling is one of the best young actors around.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/06/2023

3/4

It's a heartfelt film, unexpectedly making us laugh at, yet feel for, the complex, damaged main character and his hopeful real-life romance.

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Gayle Sequeira

BFI

07/29/2023

Lars and the Real Girl is a tragicomic examination of male loneliness.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

07/20/2023

4/5

…plays nicely with questions about how best to deal with delusion…

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Henry D

@Henry_Domke May 18

Charming and emotionally engaging.

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August S

@DrearyJune May 14

Brilliant way of showing how the inability to connect with others can lead to a mental decline. Gosling played his character amazingly.

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Brooke S.

@Brookespears May 3

I have seen this so many times and it still feels like a quiet wha the hell? Lars holds a plastic woman like she is made of light, I can never wrap my head around it. The people around him decide to treat her with respect which it takes a lot, I’d imagine. But they do it not because it makes sense, but because they love Lars. This movie is gentle and I love it sooo much. The kindness is strong. They’re accepting even if they don’t understand why. Every time I watch this I believe a little more in humanity.

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m T

@meproostr May 2

incredibly endearing, so so underrated

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Linda L

@LLLuke Apr 20

On my TOP movies to share. This is a shocking and absurd yet very grounding accounting of how trauma can affect relationships and ability to connect with others in a healthy way. I absolutely love this movie for the care of a community in bringing a socially defunct person through a process of healing and sense of safety in normal daily interactions and intimate friendships.

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Par H

@Parhwy Apr 12

Lars and the Real Girl (2007) is a 103-minute-long Canadian American comedy I saw on Prime in April 2026. As the credits roll over a few minutes, we get a quick introduction to Lars, Gus and Karin, and that there is something wrong. The movie sets out to show that care and sympathy, a communal play-along game, can aid those struggling with the cruel bastard of reality. Interiors, costumes, meals, settings and scenes are authentic and interesting. Rewatch? This is my second viewing, so you never know! Recommend? Yes. 6/10.

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Craig Gillespie

Director

Ryan Gosling

Lars

Paul Schneider

Gus

Emily Mortimer

Karin

Patricia Clarkson

Dagmar

Kelli Garner

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Synopsis

Extremely shy Lars (Ryan Gosling) finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother (Paul Schneider) and sister-in-law (Emily Mortimer) 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. On the advice of a doctor (Patricia Clarkson), his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion.

Director: Craig Gillespie
Producer: Sarah Aubrey, John Cameron, Sidney Kimmel
Screenwriter: Nancy Oliver
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Some Sex-Related Content)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 17, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.9M
Runtime: 1h 47m