Paper Heart

Starring: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake M. Johnson, Seth Rogen (cameo)
Directed by: Nicholas Jasenovec
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Comedian Charlyne Yi decides to film a documentary with her director (Jake M. Johnson) about love. While filming, she befriends actor Michael Cera, and the two start a relationship.

Review:

Tim: Paper Heart scores points for being a unique, creative comedy that mixes documentary and something decidedly not real. From a high level view, this is a good movie because of the chances it takes, and the original qualities seen throughout the movie. However, while this is an ambitious little attemp to do something different, it just doesn't work. While I really enjoyed some aspects of this movie, I strongly disliked others. As a whole, I appreciate the effort, but thing this movie failed.

I suppose your thoughts on this movie will greatly depend on your opinion of Charlyne Yi. Here, she is at least playing a variation of herself. I was unfamiliar with Yi before this movie, so I was interested to see what I thought of her. Using this movie as evidence, I have to say I am not a fan. I am sure Yi is a good person, but she just came off appearing a bit dense and bland. Her interviewing skills are absolutely atrocious. She asks a scripted question, then responds to what the interviewee says with either a moronic life or awkward silence. I was wholly unimpressed with her from this aspect of the film. I thought this greatly hurt the movie. If there was even a slightly more charismatic individual, or at least someone with some actual acting ability in this role, I would have liked the movie infinitely more.

I do want to spend some time on Michael Cera. Cera is a guy who seems to play himself in every movie, so intellectually, I don't think I should like him. However, he is just so damn good at it, that I find myself liking him even when I don't think I should. I appreciate the bravery here to play some variation of himself- it took courage to do that, especially when he enters into a relationship with Yi (I kept saying "You can do better! She is so dense!") Here, I thoroughly enjoyed Cera. He had most of the funniest moments of the film. The diner scene was perhaps the highlight of the film, and this was due entirely to the performance of Cera. I actually really enjoyed nearly every single scene involving Cera- I just didn't like the scenes with Yi, which unfortunately, make up most of the movie.

Paper Heart is truly a movie that lives and dies on its star, Charlyne Yi. If you like her, you'll probably enjoy this movie. If you don't, then like me, you will be very disappointed. I do appreciate the attempt here to do something fundamentally different, but I don't like the end result.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 5.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Knocked Up, Youth in Revolt, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Juno, Superbad