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Movie Maniac: 'Lars' asks a lot of viewers but pays off

Ryan Gosling can apparently do anything. Passionate romantic lead ("The Notebook"), cocky attorney ("Fracture"), anti-Semitic skinhead ("The Believer") or drugged-out schoolteacher ("Half Nelson," in an Oscar-nominated turn).

So it comes as no surprise that he completely pulls off a tricky role with a questionable premise that wholly relies on suspension of disbelief -- from its audience and its characters.

"Lars and the Real Girl" (now on DVD) is the story of the reclusive, awkward Lars (Gosling), who lives in a garage behind his brother, Gus (Paul Schneider), and sister-in-law, Karin (Emily Mortimer).

Lars goes to work but hardly anywhere else. He dashes from car to garage every night, and the pregnant Karin resorts to tackling him in order to catch him and invite him to dinner.

But one day, Lars has news. He has met a girl over the Internet, he says, and she has come for a visit. Gus and Karin are ecstatic -- until Lars introduces them to his new love, Bianca.

She is an anatomically correct sex doll.

Lars is obviously delusional. He fully believes Bianca is a real person. Karin is worried this shows a much deeper problem, while Gus just thinks he's wacky. They go along with Lars, though, for fear of pushing him too far in this fragile, unknown state.

And so does the rest of the town. Everyone pretends to treat Bianca as if she were real. It becomes a study in kindness.

But when Lars meets with the local doctor, he begins to unravel. And soon, his "relationship" with Bianca deteriorates.

The creative, Oscar-nominated script by Nancy Oliver is brilliant, with fully realized, vibrant characters who let the entire cast shine. But the premise goes a little too far for me. Oliver is asking that we believe this entire town would go to such extreme lengths to appease Lars.

Gosling's performance, however, saves the film. We see the confusion, the pain, the breakdown happening inside his head. When he smiles, he's not really smiling at all, but screaming.

"Lars and the Real Girl" is a charming, strangely affecting, funny yet odd tale. It asks for a lot, but pays off in the end.

Rod Pocowatchit is real, too. He can be reached at 316-268-6638 or rpocowatchit@wichitaeagle.com.