Lars and the real girl - proof

• Lars and the real girl

  Explores the many layers of sadness and happiness and how that affects an individual through the main character named Lars
• Lars


  • Incredibly introverted kind guy
  • Carries the enormous guilt of his mother's death
  • Believes he is to blame for her death
  • Believes he does not deserve to receive any kind of comfort or kindness from anyone else
• Lars' journey


  1. Introduced to a sex doll through one of his only friends

  2. Orders the sex doll for himself

  3. Uses the sex doll to let go of the guilt he has carried for so long about his mother

  4. Truly believes the sex doll is a real person

  5. With the help and support of the town, is able to let her go and make peace with the guilt
• Opening scene


  • Lars tightly holding his mother's blanket around him, almost like an armor
  • Framed by the metal cover of the window to show how deeply he is isolated from the world
  • Looking towards his brother's house and then tightly covering his mouth with his mother's scarf, fully cutting himself out from the world
• Lars continuously looks out the window

  He wants to be part of the world but he doesn't know how to, he wants to connect with the world but he doesn't know how to
• The darkness coming from behind him


  Showcases how devastating his mental health is, he is surrounded by a darkness that burdens him
• The color at the beginning of the movie

  Plain and depressing, showcases Lars' character, that he has not grown yet because it is cold and dead outside he feels cold and dead inside
• Karin comes into his view running towards his garage apartment

  Lars moves away from her sight, towards the darkness because he feels like that is where he belongs
• Gus, Lars's older brother


  Sleeping in a warm and bright place while Lars is in a cold and dark one, audience can assume Gus is asleep towards his brother's problems
• Gus bets against his own brother that Lars will not join them for breakfast
• Lars


  • Not ready to connect with society
  • Feels guilty about his mother's death
  • Completely isolated himself from society
• Lars sees a bridge in the story

  No one is on it, indicating Lars is not ready to connect with the rest of the community
• Lars is a nice guy but has been incredibly separated from society
• Lars does not have the tools to speak freely with others because he believes he does not deserve comfort and kindness
• Color pink


  Represents Lars's mom as a constant reminder that he feels guilty about her death
• The color pink is a constant reminder for Lars of the comfort and kindness he was never able to receive from his mom because of her death
• Margo


  • Incredibly childish person
  • Attracted to Lars for unknown reasons
• Lars runs away from having any type of relationship or conversation with Margo
• Kirt


  • Introduced Lars to the sex doll
  • Has a very childish nature
• Because of Margo and Kirt, Lars is not able to make a change for himself and grow emotionally
• Lars driving home


  1. Stopped by Karin

  2. Karin rushes out to invite Lars to dinner

  3. Lars declines respectfully

  4. Karin tackles Lars to the ground
• Lars believes he does not deserve Karin's kindness and comfort, and thinks he is better off being alone
• During the dinner, Karin constantly tries to get Gus to talk to Lars, but Gus is oblivious
• The film technique of individual shots of the characters shows that none of them are on the same page
• Gus does not talk about himself in Karin's concern for Lars, and they do not make eye contact throughout the dinner
• "you scared me" - lars
• "please let me go" - lars
• "we talked, we're fine" - Gus
• Their mother's death


  Their father fell into an incredibly deep depression because of it
• Their father's depression


  Gus immediately moved out of home as soon as he could, leaving Lars with him
• This is the point in the story where we learn of their mother's death and the impact it had on them both
• Lars' excitement when the sex doll arrives


  This is the first time we see him show any sort of emotion, other than fear and indifference
• Lars getting ready to meet Bianca, the sex doll


  He changes his clothes 4 times because he wants to make a good impression
• Lars is excited to meet Bianca


  He goes to look for his brother Gus and initiates the conversation for the first time, asking for Karin
• Karin and Gus meet Bianca, the sex doll


  They are horrified because they had assumed Lars had met a real girl online
• Karin tries to be supportive


  Gus completely freaks out, scared about how this will affect his personal life
• Lars really believes Bianca is a real woman, which is shown through the camera shift towards a hand held one
• The pink room


  Represents their mother's lingering presence in the family home but also her absence in Lars' life
• Lars: '"I'm so glad you're finally here"'
• Lars wants to make changes in his life

  He realizes he needs to move on from the guilt he had been carrying for so long