Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Director: Craig Gillespie
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson

On paper, a movie about a lonely man who falls in love with a mannequin sounds too chilly to be appealing. Yet the film manages to make audiences connect to the plastic doll, Bianca, thanks to a heartbreaking performance by an unrecognizable Gosling (as in, no photoshopped abs) as the titular Lars. Through Lars' apparent love for her, everyone in his small town not only comes to embrace his quirks, but also Bianca as a member of their community.