Jenni uses her Film Degree to do a Review: Ruby Sparks
With the basic concept of "a writer literally manifests his dream woman", I was really curious to see how this movie played out. Would I be horribly offended by the idea of a man being able to change his girlfriend to suit his needs? Or would it be the usual rom-com tripe where the girl has to get drunk in order to have a character arc, but fed through a hipster filter?
Either way, it looked like I'd be getting up on my feminist high horse.
Ruby Sparks is the story of Calvin, a young Los Angeles writer who is suffering from sophomore writer's block and various general neuroses. His therapist suggests that he write a one page story about someone who likes his dog just the way he is, even though he is scared of people and slobbery - which sparks Calvin to dream of Ruby. He springs from his reverie to start writing of this free-spirited, quirky girl that loves him madly and becomes addicted; every waking moment is dedicated to either thinking about Ruby or tapping away at his typewriter... he falls in love with a fictional character.
Until one day he wakes up and she's not fictional anymore. She's real and she's his girlfriend -- and if he types on his magic typewriter, he can control her.
Luckily they manage to bypass offending anyone by using this concept to explore relationship dynamics. Calvin only touches the typewriter keys when she becomes too independent from him - he wants to ensure that she won't leave him, but when he alters her free-will she loses whatever spark he fell in love with in the first place. It's a commentary on love's little power trips.
How they managed to avoid the sexism inherent in the concept and turn it into an examination of relationships is probably attributed to the fact that it was cleverly written by Zoe Kazan, who also played the character of Ruby. What is more interesting is that she is in a long-term relationship with Paul Dano, who plays Calvin.
Perhaps because of this, the real couple do a fantastic job of bringing life to the on-screen couple. Apart from the magical element, everything that occurs feels authentic - the characters are kooky, but believable. The acting is just absolutely on par, wall to wall. Especially Antonio Banderas as Calvin's step-father - every movie I see he him, he continues to prove that he is intriguing, intelligent and utterly charming. I want him to be my best friend.
The cast is supported by a well-written script, which never feels over-done or terribly aware of itself. The best kind of dialogue is what you don't notice, and the screenplay for Ruby Sparks is hidden but obviously clever.
However, it feels all too familiar - it's a mixture of Stranger Than Fiction with 500 Days of Summer, and while I think it actually achieves its intent with more grace and accuracy than the aformentioned films, it suffers their same fate in my heart; it never quite connects. It's well-crafted and I liked it, but it's not unique enough and doesn't deliver much of an emotional punch to be something I will hold onto beyond this week.
Of course, it did keep my inner romantic feminist from indulging in any equestrian activities, so at least there's that.
Ruby Sparks was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, written by Zoe Kazan and stars Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas.
First published on SYN Reviews!