Lars and the Real Girl

About 10 years ago, I used to laugh at a friend's infatuation with Ryan Gosling of Breaker High. Who? What? I don't wish to take back that laughter, but I'm not laughing now. The guy knows what he's doing and he knows what projects to do it in.

Lars and the Real Girl is lovely. The plot has been well-publicized elsewhere so I won't go into it here. The Six Feet Under creative team connection is not a secret either. If you liked the show, it's likely you'll enjoy this film. What does need to be said is that Gosling is Lars. You don't question his commitment to the story or the character and you don't question Lars' commitment to his lady. None of this praise is news either. He's been getting talked up, deservedly-so, for this role and lots of others.

What you may not have heard is that the supporting cast is also top notch. Patricia Clarkson is a brilliant actor whose work I've seen a fraction of. From this fraction, I'll pinpoint her outstanding performance as Katie Holmes' mother in Pieces of April. See it. The film is funny and sad and awkward, just like the family it observes. It introduced me to The Magnetic Fields and for that I will always be grateful. Find One April Day by the band's Stephin Merritt if you can. It's all you'd ever want to say to whoever means most to you.

Equally good is Paul Schneider, who won me over a few years ago in All the Real Girls. The slow pace of this film lulls you into a state of reverie. Not exactly blissful, but dreamy and away from your own cares. Unsurprisingly, its great cast (including wonderful Zooey Deschanel) also features small movie staple...Patricia Clarkson.