LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (2007) Inflated love

Lonely and emotionally stunted Lars Lindstrom (Ryan Gosling) develops a close, loving relationship with a beautiful young woman from South America, with this small caveat: she’s a life-sized plastic doll! His sympathetic doctor soon figures out that “Bianca,” whom Lars takes everywhere in a wheel chair, is a substitute for a real girl for whom he secretly yearns but fears opening up to. The plot of LARS AND THE REAL GIRL could have been played for sleaze or cheap laughs, but thanks to a sensitive script and fine direction and acting, it's a sweet, gently humorous journey of self discovery for our repressed hero, as well as for his friends, family, and most notably, his young co-worker (a real doll) who adores him, idiosyncrasies and all, and who we knew right from the start is a far better match for him than the inflated one.