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

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 6, 2023

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

| Jul 29, 2023

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

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 20, 2023

Both uniquely absurd and painfully real.

| Original Score: 4.0/4.0 | Sep 13, 2020

Director Craig Gillespie's film stirs a cautious course between Capraesque whimsy and our society's distinct discomfort confronting the sad and sometimes squalid delusions that keep our boats afloat.

| May 26, 2020

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.

| Aug 23, 2018

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

| Jan 11, 2018

For a premise with such lurid possibilities, Lars and the Real Girl is actually a sweet little comedy of romantic delusion and communal affection...

| Apr 22, 2016

Lars And The Real Girl is a film without compare, about as far removed from conventional comedy as it's possible to be.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 14, 2012

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 18, 2011

Sweet, sad and funny...an entertaining fable about the phenomenon of socially crippled singles. [Blu-ray]

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 8, 2011

Nancy Oliver's sincere, graceful script about working through grief with the help of tolerance and patience deftly avoids introducing artificial drama. And, as Lars, the reliably terrific Ryan Gosling gives a warm, earnest performance.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Sep 19, 2010

A delusional but sweet psychological drama about a young man treated for a bizarre delusional disorder with unconditional love.

| Original Score: C+ | Aug 26, 2009

Overall, an imperfect gem. In its successful attempt to go for the heart, "Lars and the Real Girl" stumbles a bit. I would have cast Michael Cera in the lead role.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 10, 2009

No es una gran película, pero sí una historia original que logra llegar a buen puerto y hasta conmovernos. Estupenda labor de Ryan Gosling.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 9, 2008

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 18, 2008

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 18, 2008

This script by Nancy Oliver (Six Feet Under) is a delicate, bittersweet, and often sad story of a lost, fragile man and the people who love him.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Aug 25, 2008

A plea for compassion and understanding; its lack of the negative side of human nature almost makes it seem desperate in that regard, but overall it's deft at achieving its goal.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Jun 9, 2008

It's a movie driving in neutral. It never really gets as clever, as emotional or as funny as I wanted it too.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 8, 2008