A novelist struggling with writer's block finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.
More cohesive than Marc Forster’s similarly themed Stranger than Fiction, and with a poignant sweetness under its jokes that recalls Michel Gondry’s masterpiece Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this is a most endearing, tender and clever thing, and a fabulous showcase for two of the most interesting young American performers currently working.
Sweet and unsickly romance coupled with great performances and an erupting climax makes Ruby Sparks an unexpected but genuine hit.
Smart, literate and romantic, it’s this year’s (500) Days Of Summer, but with a few more shadows. Like Calvin, you’ll find it hard to resist Ms Sparks.
In a fable about embracing things that are less than perfect despite their faults, Ruby Sparks registers as a flawed but likeable movie.
The result is a smart, literate, yet still heartfelt take on love and what it really means to be with someone.
Ruby Sparks is neither as funny or entertaining as it could be.
Arrestingly clever.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
A big waste of a lot of talent.
Bright idea doesn’t catch fire.
Six years after Little Miss Sunshine, Dayton and Faris deliver a comedy that sparkles with wit and substance. But from the script to her portrayal of the title character, Ruby Sparks belongs to Zoe Kazan, who joins the likes of Sarah Polley and Brit Marling in the rarified ranks of actress/screenwriter double-threats.
Bright enough, but no sparks.
The film touches lightly upon all sorts of intriguing ideas – from the dangers of idealising your partner to the adolescent sexism of so much male writing. But having touched upon those ideas, it doesn't develop them with the rigorous wit that Allen might once have brought to bear.
Kazan, who also wrote the script, is endearing, and the movie's funny for the first half-hour. But thereafter it stumbles like someone trying to find their way out of a hall of mirrors.
The makers of Little Miss Sunshine on their new film Ruby Sparks
Paul Dano discusses his new film Ruby Sparks
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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