Very good. Script was excellent, Ryan Gosling excellent. Everything
about it just right. Maybe a little muddled toward the end, but still
a nice original and fresh piece of work, never dull, always playing
against expectations. Flirts with becoming psycho drama briefly a la
Ordinary People, but these are just red herrings to keep you
focussed. The whole thing was shaping up to the heartwrenching climax
of sister-in-law having baby slash crisis…and then that was avoided
too. I suppose the criticism that might be lodged is that it was
largely excellent in its avoidance of pitfalls and could have been
more positively brilliant, but this is really nitpicking. The whole
capture of a reality where the community is so accepting and helpful
toward Lars–this is something that was so novel and interesting, and
something I can't remember seeing in another film. very smart and
deeply felt film.