Ruby Sparks (2012) Review

Ruby Sparks (2012), Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
3.5/5
This quirky, funny and cute film is the post-modern romantic comedy. It is at times sickly sweet and at other times full of youthful idealism. Performances were good, There is a definite Woody Allen influence especially with Calvin's (Paul Dano) Woody Allen-esque character embodying the neurotic artist/ writer. Even down to the glasses, checked shirts, typewriter, neuroticism and his diatribe to his psychiatrist. Zoe Kazan writer and actor (Ruby Sparks) was authentic, although that cannot be said perhaps for her writing. Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas played caricatures rather than actual characters. In contrast Chris Messina playing Harry (Calvin's brother) gave a great performance, bringing life to a secondary character. The concept of the film and the quirky dilemma and humour that permeate the first half of the film, are genuinely endearing and funny to watch. Unfortunately as the story plays out, it falls deeper into predictability and the ending is disappointing (as disappointing as the ending of 500 Days of Summer) whereby the intelligent audience is denied an interesting ending in favor of re-affirming ill-conceived romantic genre tropes that are delusional fantasies.  Unfortunately this cute and funny relationship drama falls into a new category of genre, the neo-romantic-comedy, attempting to be subversive in depicting the full spectrum of relationships, while still avidly re-affirming the traditions of the genre, ultimately denying any real difference or subversive elements. Despite this, it is still an enjoyable and quirky film.