Lars and the Real Girl

Work Title: Lars and the Real Girl
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 2007
Writer(s): Nancy Oliver
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: Yes
Summary:

In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The only problem is that she's not real - she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he's nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always loved.

Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

N/A

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Sex doll
  • Description of the technology: Lars, the main character, orders a life-size sex doll from the internet. It is realistic in appearance, but not completely lifelike. It has no automated functions. It maintains the same pleasant expression and stiff posture at all times.
  • Nature of task or activity: Lars desires human connection and affection. He imagines dialogue, creating a para-social interaction with the inanimate doll to fulfill this need.
  • Performance of the Technology: In and of itself, the doll does very little. But by simply taking the form of a person, it performs the job Lars requires.
  • Description of creator(s): N/A
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): The doll was created for personal sexual uses, but this is not how Lars uses it.
  • Description of users of technology: Lars is young, has a low level office job, and is extremely lonely. He is reclusive and fails to establish meaningful relationships.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: Lars experiences presence when he convinces himself that the doll, "Bianca," is a real person. After deciding this, he develops a deep personal relationship with the inanimate doll. He goes through stages of the relationship, eventually laying her to rest after finding her unresponsive from her medical condition.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Lars is oblivious to the fact that his beloved female companion is a doll. It's a psychological phenomenon, but he has repressed his awareness of his mediated affections.
  • Valence of experience: Lars constructed the relationship based on a deeply felt desire. The technology offers a consolation for his pain.
  • Specific responses: Lars remains emotionally affected by the experience throughout. From his perspective, it felt like a real relationship.
Long-term consequences:

When Lars' beloved girlfriend "dies," the audience of the film is lead to believe that he will go on to pursue a real relationship with his real life friend Margo. The imaginary relationship with Bianca may have helped him understand human relationships.

Other:

Coder name: Justin Hollinger
Coder email: tub96852@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple Unversity