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Critics Consensus: Cleverly written and wonderfully acted, Ruby Sparks overcomes its occasional lags in pace with an abundance of charm and wit.
Critic Consensus: Cleverly written and wonderfully acted, Ruby Sparks overcomes its occasional lags in pace with an abundance of charm and wit.
All Critics (176) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (138) | Rotten (38) | DVD (2)
Sometimes it's worth surrendering to cinematic enchantments, and Ruby Sparks makes a pretty good case for its own magic.
Sure it's been done before -- man brings ideal woman to life -- but not quite like Ruby Sparks. And that sets this film up to be a smart and romantic low-key comedy that goes beyond expectations.
If the result feels like a Pinocchio story that spends too much time with Geppetto, or a takedown of narcissism that never breaks free of what it's critiquing, Dano nonetheless makes Calvin compelling company.
Kazan winds up indulging in the very wish-fulfillment she initially sets out to deconstruct.
Ruby Sparks flirts with preciousness and has less fun with its premise than it could have, but that's because it's actually a gently touching metaphorical drama about the real essence of love.
Ruby Sparks might have been more fun if Cal were written to be expansive instead of a worrywart in the middle-aged Matthew Broderick mode.
All in all, this is just an intelligent, creative, well-acted gem.
Ruby Sparks zips along thanks to quality writing and odd-ball performances - Kazan, in particular, looks set for a very bright future indeed.
Screenwriter/actress Zoe Kazan shows signs of potential, but she fluffs up Sparks instead of examining its darker elements.
Ruby Sparks is a snazzy and thought-provoking debut.
It doesn't not work-there's too much genuinely great stuff going on.
Although the movie stumbles at the ending -- it becomes both disappointingly predictable and puzzling in the final few frames -- it is such an appealingly uncommon rom-com that is still worth meeting Ruby Sparks.
What first seems like a simple one-joke romantic comedy turns out to be about so much more: a deeply honest and sad story about the selfish (but real) need that some people have to control someone else so they can feel loved and make an ideal relationship work.
Super Reviewer
Dr. Frankenstein, whatever his incarnation, is always surprised to discover that his creation has ideas of its own, doh!, and so it goes in this romantic comedy (with a couple serious messages thrown in to round the whole thing out some). The old absolute power corrupts absolutely angle could've used more airing here, but by and large this is just another cute romcom.
Starts out charmingly as a frothy, wish fulfillment romantic fantasy. Had it stayed with that concept it would have been a cute comedy unfortunately about 3/4 of the way through the male lead starts acting like an incredible jackass and the film turns dark never finding its footing again. A disappointing miss.
A novelist's main character comes off the page and becomes his real-life dream girl. In its epistemological themes and its depiction of malignant patriarchy, Ruby Sparks is profound and intellectually satisfying, and it's to the film's credit that it balances heavy philosophical issues with comic relief. The creation of a dream girl, a quirky and willing beauty, seems attractive on its face, but the power this task involves makes one question whether it is appropriate. And once God - the author Calvin in this case - is given too much power, what happens to the automaton, his creation. *Spoiler Alert* The theme is better expressed had it ended sooner, without the expectation of happiness. Paul Dano is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. His lanky mawkishness is balance by the clarity of his expression, and he has a talent for choosing only the most promising projects. Overall, I really liked this film because it's both deep and enjoyable on the surface.
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