Ruby Sparks (2012)
Calvin is a young novelist who achieved phenomenal success early in his career but is now struggling with his writing – as well as his romantic life. Finally, he makes a breakthrough and creates a character named Ruby who inspires him. When Calvin finds Ruby, in the flesh, sitting on his couch about a week later, he is completely flabbergasted that his words have turned into a living, breathing person.
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One of those movies that is good but could have been great if they added on about 20 minutes. The movie just feels disjointed in its pacing and its themes are not explored as much as they should be. It does not take long before the seemingly perfect girl Calvin has created is fed up with his own frustrating personality. We feel as frustrated as she does, he wants a complicated girl, but can't come close to dealing with it when he gets one. Plus Annette Benning and Antonio Banderas parts are glorified cameos when they really should have had more to do later on in the story, like Steve Coogan and Elliot Gould. We enjoy the happy times Calvin and Ruby share, but that part is glossed over and we get to the unpleasant parts too fast. Im summary, equal weight is not given to both sides of a relationship, something done better in the movies it draws inspiration from. Still, it's an insightful and well made fantasy comedy drama, but it just didn't dive deep enough for me.
In what sounds a lot like 'Weird Science' meets 'Stranger Than Fiction', a depressed author unwittingly wills the ideal girlfriend of his latest novel into existence in this independent American comedy written by and starring Elia Kazan's granddaughter, Zoe Kazan. It is a premise full of potential and the film is at its best as lead actor Paul Dano contemplates the dynamics of falling in love with an aspect of his mind and as Dano discovers that he can manipulate how she acts and feels. Much of the script's potential goes unrealised though as focus soon turns to the quirky romance that develops between the pair, which in turn leaves open several unanswered questions. Dano seems a little miscast in the romantic scenes too, though he perfectly fits the bill of lonely, introverted writer and his initial dilemma is heartfelt. There are also strong supporting turns from Elliott Gould, Steve Coogan and others. The husband and wife directing team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris visualise the movie quite well. There is a great moment in which the camera ever-so-slowly pans to reveal that Kazan has in fact joined Dano for a car ride despite his protests. Kazan's shock first appearance is nicely handled too. Sure, a lot more could have been done with the material, especially in terms of Kazan being an aspect of his imagination and therefore an aspect of himself, but this is clearly not what Kazan intended her script to be about and it is hard to not warm to the idea of being able to interact with one's creation. How many authors would love to talk to one of their characters?
This is a special film, not so much in its story as you might have thought, but more in the way it is fitting every little part and story together. The Persons in the film is as surprised as the viewer about whats going on at times and especially for Ruby and Calvin the turn of events seem strange, but also exciting and mind blowing.Essentially it becomes a power struggle between the natural evolvement and the ability to change the course of events, whats make you happy at the beginning and what should evolve to be a good foundation for a relationship, is not necessarily one and the same. And even though this film plays with the thought of being able to control another person to fit into your image of the world and how it should be, it is properly not the way it was meant, so nature will always play a part and evolution is unavoidable.This is an enjoyable film, that actually has something different to offer.
I found this movie engaging if not anything else. Engaging because it exploits the idea of romancing a version of a person's character, and not necessarily the person in entirety. This has been profoundly spelt in the movie by the lead character when he discusses his books. Then it also makes clear of the banality of finding logic in every phenomenon through the protagonist own admission towards the end. One particular observation made by the protagonist's brother about women runs on the same theme. As the author discovers his power to manipulate Ruby Sparks through his writing, he struggles to micromanage a version of her where he is completely satisfied. A chance encounter with his ex at a party reveals his previous attempts for the same endeavor which did not succeed. At last, when he finds such attempts to be futile the author seems to give up control but the twist towards the end suggest otherwise. Overall, a decent film.