Paper Man

Paper Man (2009)
Directed by: Kieran & Michele Mulroney
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 29%

Hello Film Fans! First, I want to say I am sorry it has been so long since my last review! I have been travelling (driving not flying) so I have not had the opportunity to watch a film and digest it in a manner to where I could discuss it intelligently. If you read my previous post you'll know that I am also going through the process of setting up a new website and getting my YouTube channel established. This is VERY exciting but also tedious so please, bear with me. Now, on to the review!

I have asked for my readers to suggest films that they enjoyed or want to see a review of because I am always interested in what other people like. A friend of mine (a European friend in fact) suggested that I watch Paper Man. He made sure that I knew he was talking about the 2009 Jeff Daniels film; not the 2012 Disney short (which was incredible). I had never heard of it so I dove right in. I have to say, I am extremely happy that I saw this because it has made me respect Daniels and his co-star Emma Stone on new levels. I have always thought of Jeff Daniels as a too-well-known-to-be-a-"that"-guy kind of actor [*EDIT* I completely forgot about Newsroom! He is FANTASTIC in Newsroom!] but this really shows that he has the chops to be a leading man. Stone also proves that she has grown up since Superbad and that she too can hold the screen with ease.

In the opening credits (which are really well done by the way), we see Richard (Jeff Daniels) and his wife Claire (Lisa Kudrow) driving out of New York City. They are making their way to a vacation cabin that they haven't visited in years. The intent is for Claire to leave Richard there alone so that he can write the novel he is currently working on. As Claire leaves, she tells Richard her schedule at the hospital where she works (as a surgeon) and leaves a list of emergency numbers so he can reach her if need be. Richard is seemingly alone until his blonde, Hipster-haired superhero imaginary friend Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) shows up. He tries his best to encourage Richard to write but his efforts prove to be futile. Richard settles in at his desk and begins to think of how he wants to start his book. It is reminiscent of Billy Crystal's character from Throw Momma From the Train.



Like Crystal, Richard cannot get past the first sentence of his book. He then leaves to explore his new surroundings. He encounters Abby (Emma Stone) and asks her to come babysit for him. When she arrives, she quickly realizes there is no baby. Instead of freaking out, she accepts that Richard is just lonely and asks when he'll be back. While Richard is out, Abby makes soup from ingredients she finds around the house. This resonates with Richard as people do not generally do things for him for no reason. He finds it incredibly endearing and the two form a bond; a completely Platonic relationship. When the people around them start to question the relationship between Richard and Abby, accusations fly and people get hurt (especially Abby's Emo best friend, Christopher). Paper Man is, ultimately, a coming of age tale that is certainly worth checking out.

What I found most interesting about Paper Man was the notion that you can be in your late forties/early fifties and still not be an adult. Richard is, essentially, still a child. This is partially his own fault because he chooses to hold on to his imaginary friend, Captain Excellent, but is also aided by his wife, Claire. There are subtle hints throughout the film that indicate that even though she doesn't desire to have children; she still has a mother mentality. As I stated above, when Claire leaves Richard at the house for the first time she ensures that he knows that she can be reached if anything were to happen. They are never seen being intimate with each other (kissing, sleeping together, hugging). There is a scene where Claire is up visiting for the weekend and she takes him to a local seafood restaurant. Richard orders lobster but is unsure of how to eat it. Claire cuts open the shell for him as he ties a lobster bib around his neck. The camera then shows a wide shot of the two; Richard with his food cut up for him and sporting a bib and Claire eating her own food without a bib. This screams mother/son relationship. It is later revealed that even though Richard insists that Claire stated she didn't want kids; that this isn't true. If Richard had paid attention, he would have seen how desperate Claire was for motherhood. This was such a great part of the story and it really added great depth to Richard (who is already conflicted as it is) and to Claire (who is hardly present in the film).

No BS

Paper Man is a good film. It isn't particularly Oscar great but it is definitely worth a watch. Daniels gives a great performance and Stone shows that she is moving nicely into starring roles. The real surprise for me was Lisa Kudrow. No matter how hard I try, I still see Phoebe every time I see her. It is good to know that she is, indeed, an actress and that she is able to break out of that type cast, and deliver a great dramatic performance.

My Score: 7/10

Also, if you haven't seen the Disney short that won the Oscar for Best Animated Short this year then see it here!