Ruby Sparks

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Ruby Sparks

R

2012

1h 44m

Romance

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

183 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Young author Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano), once a literary darling, is having trouble composing his next novel. Following a therapist's advice, Calvin pulls out an old manual typewriter and creates a vivacious, flame-haired woman he dubs Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan). Overnight, Ruby leaps from the page into Calvin's home as a real flesh-and-blood woman. And, what's more, she's unaware that she's actually a fictional character and that her actions and feelings are dictated by whatever Calvin writes.

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Critics Consensus

Cleverly written and wonderfully acted, Ruby Sparks overcomes its occasional lags in pace with an abundance of charm and wit.

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Elizabeth Weitzman

New York Daily News

01/08/2013

3/5

Sometimes it's worth surrendering to cinematic enchantments, and Ruby Sparks makes a pretty good case for its own magic.

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Linda Barnard

Toronto Star

01/08/2013

3/4

Sure it's been done before -- man brings ideal woman to life -- but not quite like Ruby Sparks. And that sets this film up to be a smart and romantic low-key comedy that goes beyond expectations.

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Justin Chang

Variety

01/08/2013

If the result feels like a Pinocchio story that spends too much time with Geppetto, or a takedown of narcissism that never breaks free of what it's critiquing, Dano nonetheless makes Calvin compelling company.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 28

4/5

With its recipe of unspoken magic, flawed relationships, and ideals on finding inspiration and perfection and daring to keep them, Ruby Sparks is a wholly different, unique, challenging, and satisfying romantic comedy experience.

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Paul Emmanuel Enicola

Movie-Blogger.com

07/31/2024

4/5

“Ruby Sparks,” in all its schmaltzy tenderness, is in reality a case study of the dangers of idealizing a person, and containing that person’s whole individuality based on one’s idea of perfection.

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Michael Clark

Epoch Times

12/10/2022

4/5

How empowered would you feel if you knew that whatever you wrote could immediately be physically realized? Would you tempt fate knowing that you could always go back and edit it, or would you try to try to stay true to your own inner core values?

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John C

@johnhealty Dec 20

The message of the movie was really Good! The Actors pulled me as if I was there. I just don't like when it ends, there is no explanation of this "weird power" or if it's just a metaphor and what-not. So after watching this, I was really confused on the "plot-holes". I wish there is more to the movie to explain things.

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Noel L

@RT15930389 Nov 12

Just goes to show you that there is no such thing as a perfect partner, even if you make them from scratch. The story was incredible and even sick at times

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alan g

@agenser Oct 12

Updated Pygmalion with a modern twist. Well acted except for Banderas who plays his usual macho self badly. Husband wife team actors/authors do very well. Cute couple.

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Catherine G

@RT00159860 Sep 18

It was so good, that I thought it was adapted from a Best Seller Novel! Loved it!

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Kalissa H

@kali_416 Jul 12

Quite good. The type writing scene near the end was sinister.

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Joshwa W.

@shwawa Jul 12

This has wormed its way into my head in the best way possible. Zoe Kazan’s writing is pitch perfect, and Paul Dano, as always, does his absolute most to bring an honesty to his role that borders on terrifying.

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Jonathan Dayton

Director

Valerie Faris

Director

Paul Dano

Calvin Weir-Fields

Zoe Kazan

Ruby Sparks

Antonio Banderas

Mort

Annette Bening

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Synopsis

Young author Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano), once a literary darling, is having trouble composing his next novel. Following a therapist's advice, Calvin pulls out an old manual typewriter and creates a vivacious, flame-haired woman he dubs Ruby Sparks (Zoe Kazan). Overnight, Ruby leaps from the page into Calvin's home as a real flesh-and-blood woman. And, what's more, she's unaware that she's actually a fictional character and that her actions and feelings are dictated by whatever Calvin writes.

Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Producer: Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa
Screenwriter: Zoe Kazan
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Bona Fide Productions
Rating: R (Some Drug Use|Language|Some Sexual References)
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 25, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.5M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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