RUBY SPARKS

Written by Zoe Kazan, co-starring her with her real life love, Paul Dano, this unique plot falls short  of its potential.  Dano as "Calvin" plays an author suffering from writers' block for the past ten years since his breakout marvelous first novel, at age 19, won him fame and fortune. (Best acting I've ever seen Dano do.) At the suggestion of his therapist, perfectly played by Elliot Gould, the now 29 year old "Calvin" starts to write two pages -- and in doing so creates (literally!) the girl of his dreams, "Ruby Sparks" (Kazan). She manifests in the flesh in his kitchen.  Whatever he writes about her, she does. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris the film under utilizes Annette Bening as his mother, and Antonio Bendaras (whom I usually adore- but this role makes him kind of goofy.) as Mom's live-in companion.  There are some wonderful scenes, as well as some rather bland ones. I hope Kazan continues to write, but gets a harsher editor to oversee her next effort.   It's worth seeing, but don't go with too high expectations based on all the hype there's been about the film.