Distributed by the same company that created (500) Days of Summer, Ruby Sparks contains many similarities to the 2009 hit. The leads are indie darlings. The script defies convention. And the “romantic comedy” title doesn’t mean that the characters hit some very low lows. Written by Zoe Kazan, who also plays the delightful redhead, Ruby Sparks is not only the title of the movie, it is a great sentence to describe it.
Calvin (Paul Dano) is going through severe writer’s block after writing a classic years earlier. He has secluded himself in his apartment with his dog Scotty; he only really interacts with his brother (Chris Messina) and his publisher (Steve Coogan). After a session with his therapist (Elliott Gould), Calvin decides to (type)write about a woman he has been dreaming about: Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan). One day, after writing about her, Calvin wakes up to find Ruby Sparks in his kitchen making breakfast. At first, this seems like a blessing to Calvin: the girl of his dreams has become a real living thing, but real, living things have a way of becoming more complicated than they initially seem.
Kazan’s script does a good job of acknowledging then dodging conventions. Every time there is a chance that a stereotypical rom-com situation could be exploited, the script runs in another direction. Typical rom-coms would make Calvin just write about sleeping with Ruby (his brother even brings this up), however, Calvin is set up early to be really in love with ideas, so the idea of Ruby and her intelligence and thought is what he likes to manipulate instead. By refusing to act in the manipulative way, the script gives these characters real world intelligence. As such it provides depth to their dilemmas. The dilemmas provide a tonal shift in the story from fantastical to longing that is allowed to occur organically over the course of Calvin/Ruby’s relationship.
Due to the story, the emotional well in this movie is very deep. Because Calvin likes the idea/the romance of something, it is hard for him to accept other people for more than a short period of time since people are complicated. The more people are not like his ideas of them, the more his ideas seem wrong, and since Calvin is a neurotic individual, his ideas are never wrong. This inner conflict is outwardly exposed in the relationship between Calvin and Ruby, as well as Calvin and other people he is usually not around. There’s also the manipulation part of the story. How much should Calvin shape Ruby to better suit Calvin’s interests as she grows as an individual, and by stunting her growth, is he necessarily going to be happier with her? When you combine these conflicts and stir them together, Ruby Sparks goes to some very dark places. The darkness is also amplified by the breezy fantasy of the beginning of the story. Credit goes to the directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Ferris (the little Miss Sunshine directors) for pushing the story as far as it goes.
What elevates the script is the performances of the actors. Paul Dano makes us believe that he is a frustrated writer in the beginning, and sells his jubilee at the appearance of Ruby Sparks. He actually is in a relationship with Zoe Kazan, which makes their connection sincere and comfortable. The spark between the two makes the emotional shifts seem very natural as well. Zoe Kazan, probably inspired by what previous writers have made her do in their movies, knows Ruby Sparks and nails the character. Like Being John Malkovich, she finds the right course of action for each new characteristic Calvin writes for her and wants her to become. The best served character is Chris Messina, who provides surprising depth and guidance to Paul Dano’s character despite his initial setup as a bodybuilding sex addict. Annette Benning and Antonio Banderas are fine in their limited screen time as Calvin’s mother and lover. Steve Coogan, Elliott Gould, Deborah Ann Woll, and Alia Shawkat (yes, Maeby Bluth herself) also have small roles.
Ruby Sparks is a very idea-filled fantasy. Do I really want to be with the girl of my dreams? Do I want to date someone perfectly built around who I am, or do I want us to evolve? These are intriguing questions brought up and explored by Zoe Kazan’s story. It is equal parts charming and thoughtful, which are two of the characteristics I would definitely want in my love. Just one thing is missing: anyone know a store that sells typewriters?