La La Land and the 10 best Ryan Gosling movies ever
By Wesley Lara
10. Lars and the Real Girl
Original Release Date: October 12, 2007
Box Office: Lars and the Real Girl, unfortunately, fell victim to the indie “curse”, only grossing about $11 million on a $12 million budget. Not a huge loss, but no money maker for sure.
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Critical Acclaim: Despite its underwhelming box office, the film garnered acclaim from critics and went on to become an Oscar nominee with a Best Original Screenplay nomination and a Best Actor nod for Ryan Gosling at that year’s Golden Globes.
About the Role: Gosling plays Lars Lindstrom, a socially awkward man whose mental health comes into question when he is discovered to have ordered a life-sized doll he named Bianca, whom he begins a relationship with.
Simply the Best: Right out of the gate, we have a film that has gone mostly unseen by the average filmgoer, having made small returns at the box office when released. Lars and the Real Girl is just a small testament for his versatility onscreen, perfectly capturing the essence of a lonely and socially inept man in need of companionship, itself being a universal concept for humans.
Despite the extremes that the film depicts, Gosling’s performance feels genuine and down-to-Earth, removing that Hollywood “glow” that big-name actors have in order to generate a realistic take on such a situation. It’s a story that feels like it can only happen in a movie, but its acting and writing elevate it above something akin to exploitation. It doesn’t hurt that the film’s tender atmosphere plays heavily into his acting, pairing up for a sweet and moving drama-comedy about overcoming loneliness.