Ruby Sparks
(2012)She's out of his mind.
From the directors of Little Miss Sunshine, an offbeat romantic tale about a struggling writer caught in an unusual relationship when his fictional character, Ruby Sparks, suddenly comes to life. Also stars Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Steve Coogan and the film's writer, Zoe Kazan.... More
Calvin (Dano), once a praised young author, has hit both a creative and romantic slump. In a sudden burst of inspiration, he creates the character Ruby Sparks, a beautiful figment of his desires. A week later, Ruby (Kazan) appears in the flesh, in his kitchen - and in love with him. Unable to explain the phenomenon, Calvin can't help but feel drawn to the girl created from his own wordsHide
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Directed by Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Starring Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Elliott Gould, Antonio Banderas, Steve Coogan
Written by Zoe Kazan
On Demand, DVD & Blu-Ray
Available from 4 providers
Flicks Review
BY Tony Stamp Flicks Writer
Ruby Sparks revolves around one of those high concept ideas that I generally have a low tolerance for. 'Man creates fictional girl, girl comes to life' sounded a bit like a Weird Science for the indie set, and I was primed to throw the word 'quirky' all over this review.... More
Sure enough, the film does trade in the slightly melancholy, slightly funny filmmaking that Sundance loves and that I'm exhausted of. But, by the end of Ruby Sparks I was won over. Kind of.
The first half of the film was more or less what I was expecting - a Manic Pixie Dream Girl male fantasy. I should've been clued in by the fact Ruby Sparks was written by lead actress Zoe Kazan though, because the film slowly reveals a more feminine perspective, which leads to a dark turn of events in the third act. Ruby Sparks also ends up making some reasonably astute observations about relationships, love, and what we expect from our significant others.
Paul Dano does reliably good work as the literary genius with writer's block, Kazan easily transcends the 'quirky girl' role her script requires, and both Antonio Banderas and Annette Bening turn in warm performances with a limited amount of screen time. Oh and Steve Coogan could play the kind of slimy twerp he does here in his sleep at this point, but it's always great to see him.
By the end, I'd forgotten how silly the whole thing was, and enjoyed Ruby Sparks as the sweet little modern fable it's aiming to be.Hide
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Ruby Sparks
BY KatieF superstar
BY TUBBS superstar
It might have worked better for me if I could have empathized with the characters. The story was okay but when every character is well healed (and by definition boring) it needs more than one story thread to maintain interest.
BY Weds_Loafers superstar
BY Fiona3 nobody
this film had moments of laugh out loud funny and a mixture of sadness and despair, its a reality call for everyone that one desire being fulfilled does not make for a perfect life, funny and thought provoking , if you were given the power would you use it?
BY NThornton nobody
My friend and I attended the preview of this lovely film last night. It's going to be a quiet little hit. 'Ruby Sparks' is not just a chick flick but a film that everyone will enjoy. The premise of a young writer with writer's block literally falling in love with the woman of his dreams and having the dream come alive was totally novel. The casting of the Calvin and Ruby was brilliant. All in all a fun movie.
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The Press Reviews
79%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
The setup is rote, almost insulting, but it's smarter than it looks: Once the pieces are in place, Kazan's script reveals a deeper game. Full Review
This smart and sophisticated romp takes surprising directions as it examines the creative process of writing, the delicate balance of relationships, and the mysteries of men and women. Full Review
The movie's intriguing in its fanciful way, and there are times when both Calvin and Ruby seem uncannily like they're undergoing revision at the hands of some uber-writer above them both. Full Review
An imaginative high-wire act with finesse and charm. Full Review
An engagingly off-kilter love story of a writer, the girl of his dreams and the power of his pen. Full Review
Who hasn't entertained a fantasy of romantic omnipotence in which a dream partner complies with your every wish? Full Review
Pulling a page from Charlie Kaufman’s playbook, Kazan and her collaborators are intent on using this metanarrative to puncture the hipster-Pygmalion notion of the manic pixie dream girl. Full Review
There's little doubt that Kazan has written a sly, amusing portrait of male self-absorption and artistic tyranny. Full Review
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