"Lars and the Real Girl" **1/2 (out of four): In this oddly appealing yet not-fully-satisfying film, Ryan Gosling stars as a stunted twentysomething who opens his heart to the one least likely - a sex doll.

You've heard and likely memorized all the usual clichés about love - it's blind, comes in all shapes and sizes, conquers all and, naturally, happens when you least expect it. In the case of "Lars and the Real Girl," these universal truths all apply, but with a twist. "Six Feet Under" scribe Nancy Oliver and director Craig Gillespie ("Mr. Woodcock") join forces to tell the story of Lars (Ryan Gosling), a stunted 27-year-old who is lucky enough, after years of solitude, to meet the girl he fancies. There's just one problem – she's not quite among the living.

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