***WARNING***
THE FOLLOWING REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS AND CONTRADICTIONS THEREFORE MAYBE UNSUITABLE FOR SOME FUCKS. ENSURE THIS REVIEW IS PIPING HOT THROUGHOUT BEFORE CONSUMPTION.
***YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED***
As I took my seat in the packed out cinema screen and awaited for ‘Paul’ to start spewing is visual goo, I remember thinking two things. One, every film I’ve seen in this cinema multiplex during the past year has been in this very same screen, I wonder if that front-right speaker is still busted? And two, this film is going to be shit. The later was something I could feel deep down inside me, tickling away at my insides like some kind of possessed french tickler who had been shrunk down and injected inside Dennis Quaid style. Then the screen lit up and the trailers began allowing numerous films to waft their oversized netherods in my face while cementing the idea that I really dont intend to see ‘No Strings Attached’ and perfectly displaying how the front-right speaker in Odeon, Oxfords 1st screen is still after twelve months, clearly blown. Then the film started...
It was good
Paul gets...
3.5 out of 5
Okay, okay, okay! ‘Paul’ is not a film that is going to break any new grownd nor is it actually trying to. It was written by its stars (Pegg and Frost) as a ‘love letter’ to Steven Spielberg, think E.T. aimed at grown ups/juvenile delinquents. At first things are pretty rocky, Pegg and Frost already have their trademark on screen chemistry which works great but for some reason most of the jokes fall flat and seem a little forced, the film continues this way for about twenty minutes when expectedly, Paul (the alien) shows up. From this point on the film gets better and better as the story tightens, the jokes improve and the running gags start to line up. The film takes off running, introducing quite an impressive comedy lineup of actors, all playing roles which are a little off what you have come to expect. You have Jason Bateman as a quite, apparently all evil, hard edged FBI agent, two other not quite so evil but slightly stupid agents played by Joe Lo Truglio and Bill Hader. Kristen Wiig as a one eyed, devout christian who has her faith crushed, Jane Lynch as the owner of a space themed bar/coffee shop, Jeffrey Tambor as a hugely popular comic book writer and a whole slew of other great cameos that keep on coming right up until the credits, it truly is quite impressive.
As a whole the casting is fantastic but the choice to put Seth Rogans voice into the body of Paul strike me as somewhat strange. It doesn’t fit, Rogans voice is too deep and booming for the tiny frame of Paul and you will spend a decent amount of time being very aware that Paul has a famous voice over. I feel the casting of an unknown would have been beneficial in this instance, that being said you will get used to Rogans voice after a while and once you buy into that the character becomes charming and likable.
Comedy wise there is nothing too daring but its stands up well against some of recent memories better comedic films. Its not better than ‘Shaun of the Dead’ or even ‘Hot Fuzz’ but seeing as ‘Paul’s scope is so much larger its hard to compare them. ‘Paul’ is clearly written by british writers, and the film benefits from that. What it provides is a mix of your average dumb American action comedy with the dryer, sharper and downright superior comedy of us brits creating a film that is both entertaining and in the long run memorable.
The film is also impressive to look at, the action scenes in particular are very well shot, boasting dramatic camera moves while sewing together each shot in such a way that it leaves the audience with absolutely no doubt as to what is going on. Direction is also top notch, Mottola proving himself to be quite a diverse director having directed ‘Superbad’, ‘Adventureland’ and ‘Paul’ all of which are totally different types of films. I’m starting to think that Mottola has a lot more to give in terms of directing so whatch out for his name in future releases.
Its pretty hard to be funny when it comes to writing about ‘Paul’ and this is mostly down to the fact that the film itself is funny. I can’t even pick on its cast seeing as its full of great actors with the exception of Rogan who stole all my good Rogan jokes for my review of ‘The Green Hornet’ a few weeks back. ‘Paul’ is a good film and well worth watching. Its not all that original but its funny, moves at a decent pace and seems surprisingly anti Christian.
Yes you read that correctly.
And yes that is a good thing.
And yes everyone else would think so too.
Its because you take it too far.
Fine, damn me to hell, see if I care.
Thats right I don’t.
I really really don’t!
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