This was the last film that I saw before the nominations were announced. I was bored on a Sunday and saw that it was playing at my favorite indie theater so I went, having also heard rumors that it could be nominated for something. I’m so glad I did too, because it was gone the next week and would have been really hard to find. Plus, I really enjoyed it.

This film has such an original concept, a man who tends to keep to himself (Ryan Gosling) suddenly starts pretending that a sex doll is his new girlfriend, and the entire town goes along with it, yet it could only be pulled off by the most subtlest of actors. Any over the top performances would have thrown off the reality of the film, which is why the casting and directing for this film is so great. Gosling slides so easily into the role of the sad, lonely, and slightly unbalanced Lars, who never met his mother and was left to grow up with a wildly depressed father. Gus (Paul Schneider), Lars’ older brother who left at a young age and feels responsible for Lars’ delusions has such a realistic reaction to Bianca, Lars’ new “girlfriend,” that he wavers between anger and anguish. Gus is neutralized by his pregnant wife Karin (Emily Mortimer), who immediately goes along with Lars and wants nothing more than to help him. The acting is superbly quiet, both figuratively and literally as one of the main characters has no voice. Bianca is not only accepted by the town as one of their own, but is made to seem alive to the audience as well. I felt nearly as touched by the personification of the doll as I did by some of the characters.

Nominations:

Best Original Screenplay
In another year I’d feel that this was a strong contender for this category with such a great and original concept. However, Juno is the front runner for this award and I truly believe it deserves it. I’m just glad to see Lars nominated after being so largely overlooked at the box office and by critics.

Snubbed?
While I enjoyed every actor in this film, I was blown away by Patricia Clarkson, the doctor that encourages the family and town to go along with Lars' delusions. She meets with Lars while Bianca gets "treatment" every week and quietly opens up his personality and unearths some of his issues. I was rooting for her to get an underdog nomination here and I’m disappointed to see her get no recognition for such a touching performance.