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Arts & Entertainment

'Ruby Sparks' Is a Novel of Dreams

Imagine writing down the girl of your dreams. Now imagine waking up and seeing her cook you breakfast. That's the premise in this romantic comedy, 'Ruby Sparks.' Read more in our review.

Imagine waking up one morning to find the man or woman of your dreams, literally, standing in your kitchen making breakfast.  That is exactly what happens to Calvin, a 29-year-old novelist, after typing pages and pages about the woman from his dreams.  Once the shock wears off and he discovers she is not a figment of his imagination, he proceeds to dive head first into the relationship with his authored character, Ruby Sparks.  

Not only does the story line work on screen, but it also pokes holes at the fantasy of dating the person of your dreams and/or having the ability to change anything you want about him or her, whenever you want to.  All Calvin must do is type the words and Ruby does it.  It plays on the classic line of “be careful what you wish for” and proves that what Calvin types, is what Calvin gets.  

His brother, Harry (Chris Messina), is the only person who knows Calvin created Ruby and that his words have the power to change her, something Harry encourages Calvin to do.  Though Calvin initially decides not to write about Ruby, he eventually breaks down when he fears she is going to leave him.  We, as an audience, are then able to see the downside to having such control, erupting in one magical scene of chaos, emotion, and lots and lots of jumping.

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Though the story is completely fantastical, I was struck a believer just as Harry was.  "Why couldn’t she be real?  Why can’t I write down everything I want in a man and make him my own?"

Writer, and star of the film, Zoe Kazan knocks one out of the park with this screenplay.  If this is what we can expect from her, I would say talented writing runs in the family.  Her grandfather is, after all, famous director, producer and writer, Elia Kazan.   

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And it is another smash hit for directing duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, whom received fame with their directorial debut, Little Miss Sunshine.  To take such a far-out idea and make it utterly believable and lovable is not a feat all directors or writers can accomplish. 

Dano and Kazan share equal screen time, allowing both of their characters to develop before our eyes.  Though Ruby starts off with all the traits Calvin gave her, she evolves into her own person.  This threatens Calvin’s security and his need for control, something we don’t initially see about Calvin, which leads him back to the typewriter.  It is his ex-girlfriend who shines the light on the “true” Calvin later in the film, pointing out his insecurities and unrealistic expectations of the women in his life.  A psychological analysis of Calvin would provide any good doctor with pages of material.  

Messina’s character adds a laugh-out-loud comedic aspect to the film.  His witty one-liners and arrogant nature had me cracking up from the first scene.  Later in the film, we also meet Calvin and Harry’s new age mom, played by Annette Bening, and hippy, bizarre step-father, played by Antonio Banderas.  It is impossible not to relate them in one way or another, whether it be you have embarrassing parents or wish you had a mom who would let you pass a joint around the dinner table.  The mixture of funny and seriousness balances out in such a magical way that it was not until the very end of the film I began contemplating the psychology of it all.   

Zoe Kazan reminds me of Zoey Deschanel - quirky, eccentric in appearance, and full of joy.  As admirable as her acting may be, my true hopes are for her to continue her writing career.  The tale of Ruby Sparks took imagination, real-life experiences, and a lot of heart to comprise, three aspects I find essential to good story-telling.  I see a bright future for Kazan, one filled with gold-plated, 8 1/2 pound statuettes, which is something Calvin can only dream about.   

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