9. Ruby Sparks
Ruby Sparks is a knowing meditation on relationships, control and the importance of acceptance. A low-key and not particularly comedic ManCom, this one flew under the radar of audiences despite meeting with general critical success. The eponymous Ruby (Zoe Kazan, who also wrote the sparkling script) is a quirky, extroverted hipster girl, an ideal woman created in the imagination of Paul Danos neurotic, introverted author Calvin and brought to life as he writes her down - think Weird Science with a extra literary edge. Their relationship starts well, but things start to turn sour as
Ruby fails to meet the perfect standards that Calvin sets, the honeymoon period giving way to a more bitter entanglement. Calvin
tries to change Ruby with his writing to make her more agreeable, and inevitable heartbreak ensues as he starts to lose control. Comic relief is provided by Calvin's eccentric family, with Antonio Banderas standing out as his weed-smoking, driftwood-furniture-making stepfather. All the ManComic parts are there, put together in an originality and a quiet eccentricity. The script is written with enough originality, innovation and darkness to carry off a fairly familiar central concept, and Dano and Kazan keep things grounded with wonderful performances. This is a really excellent film, a gem that deserves to find a wider audience.