Lars and the Real Girl: A Movie Review

One of the more popular, but little-known today, German philosophers of about a century ago was the Kantian scholar Hans Vaihinger (1852-1933). In his 1911 book Philosophy of "As If", he advised his readers that in the face of the our widespread ignorance of the truth or falsehood of ultimate ideas, we ought to adopt a philosophy of "as if," a philosophy of fictions. What he meant by this was that even though we cannot prove the truth of ultimate reality, we can live "as if" certain propositions were true, as if the "fictions" were real. We must learn to live by fictions not just to find meaning in life but to be able to bear life with all of its confusing and absurd turns.

Script writer Nancy Oliver no doubt had no idea of this strand in the Western philosophical tradition when she wrote the script for this endearing, quirky, predictable and strangely moving film. Yet, the entire premise of the film is that living "as if," adopting the mythology or fiction of someone else actually can be an integrating event for the entire community and not simply for the person who is most in "need" in the movie. For Lars and the Real Girl, the one most obviously "in need" is Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling), a 20-something single young man who lives in the dilapidated garage behind the sprawling home inhabited by his older brother Gus (Paul Schneider) and his pregnant wife Karin (Emily Mortimer). Lars is withdrawn, painfully shy and almost non-responsive to co-worker and family alike. We get the first inkling of the nature of his psychological burden when he is shown by a co-worker how to "mix and match" features of anatomically-correct dolls online and then order one for his, ahem, pleasure. Lars, a strict Lutheran, orders one such doll--a raven-haired, large-busted, pouty-lipped silicone doll (Bianca) whom Lars is "in love" with. But this is love of a different era---when lovers shared not just different beds but different homes. Lars characterizes Bianca as a missionary on leave.

Developing the Theme

As the movie develops we see the philosophy of "as if" unfold. Perceptive psychologist Dagmar something or other (Patricia Clarkson) recommends that the mortified brother and sister-in-law accept Lars' "relationship" with Bianca and "go with it." While it proves daunting and embarrassing at first (the director's predictable presentation of Gus' reaction isn't very well-done), gradually people in the close-knit, rather too-idyllic community where they live (it looks Upper Midwest or Southern Canada) also began to treat Lars and Bianca as a "couple," and even help draw out of Lars a complete life for Bianca. The cosmetologist does her hair, a fashion consultant helps her dress. She even is elected to the school board of the local community. All, then, help Lars by recognizing the "reality" of his silicon doll.

As the movie further unfolds, we in the audience see coming at us, with all the subtlety of a freight train, the fact that Lars has "substituted" this plastic partner for the intimacy he first "missed" from his mother, who died giving birth to him. It is the pregnancy of Karin which triggers this primal, yet unknown (to Lars) need. Thus, we see everyone's going along with Lars, living "as if" with him, as a way that the community is bearing with Lars' psychological problems. I went to the movie with a friend who volunteers for "Ten Thousand Villages;" I wondered for a split-second if it took "ten thousand villages to raise Lars..."

The Film's Real Contribution

But something dramatic does happen through the villagers' adopting the "as if" attitude towards Lars, and this, I think, is the major contribution of the movie. It is simply this: that when we all act "as if," by helping each other fulfill each other's fantasies or fulfill unspoken needs, we ourselves are strangely enabled to identify our own blockages and psychological needs, and we ourselves experience healing in strange and wonderful ways. I need to illustrate this through the relationship of Gus and Lars in the movie. At first Gus, the older brother, says the expected "guy" line: his brother's strange conduct is really nothing out-of-the ordinary; everything is "fine." But when the anatomical doll shows up, Gus is in denial, is angry, mortified, in denial, etc. He won't play along with any shrink's game to try to treat Bianca as if she is real. What Lars needs is a dose of reality therapy. But, as the movie progresses, Gus, too goes along. He even, with his wife Karin, helps bathe Bianca.

But then something strange seems to happen. Gus' cool exterior and rather nonchalant manner changes. He feels regret and some guilt. Why? Because he had left home when his brother was young and vulnerable, left Lars to live with a debilitated and needy father, who ended up dying prematurely also. Gus and Karin returned home, kicked Lars into the garage, and "took over" the "big house." Gus then becomes, if not overwhelmed, at least stricken by the fact that he might have played some role in Lars' becoming the way he is--by not "protecting" his little brother, by not staying around to help out, by "bailing" for his own pleasure--thus leaving Lars to be exploited by his father. He wouldn't have come to this realization without Lars' having doggedly insisted that Bianca was real and he (Gus) having gone along with the psychologist's advice to accept Lars' fantasies.

Conclusion

Parents of children with autism say that once they accept their child's condition and try to enter completely into the world of their affected child, a remarkable thing happens. They learn not only about their child, but they are somehow given wisdom and insight into themselves and their work in life. So, next time you think that the best thing to do is to "live realistically," think of the philosophy of "as if," and descend into the fantasy that you wish were true. You will find not only that you might have many others who will be willing to join you on this venture but you will, by accepting the "truth" of a "fiction," help them straighten up their lives. To paraphrase Jesus, in exactly the opposite way to what he said, "The Fiction shall make you free."

3162