Paper Heart

[Beate]

It's really difficult to rate this film as it's not really a film but a kind of documentary. I will quote what imdb says about it:

Charlyne Yi embarks on a quest across America to make a documentary about the one subject she doesn't fully understand: Love. Michael Cera becomes the object of her affection. Weaving together reality and fantasy, Paper Heart combines elements of documentary and traditional storytelling to bring a fresh perspective to the modern romance.

It started strangely enough, with a girl waving a microphone about asking people to tell her about love, insisting she has never been in love and doesn't think she can be. I started to get into it after a while and really enjoying her quest which takes a life of its own once she meets Michael Cera. At the end I thought that it would have been better without their story interwoven though, as the interviews she led, illustrated by some really basic but funny cartoon-like action was really the best about the documentary, whether it was the couple married for 50 years, the bikers, the gay couple or the kids. To be honest, I didn't care much about Charlyne, I thought she was a bit stupid. And how can you stand next to this hunk of filmmaker all the time and pine for Michael Cera? And what was the trip to Paris about? At the end I wasn't so sure anymore whether it was really a fresh, spontaneous looking capture of the awkward moments of young love, or whether we had been had and it was really cleverly edited. For example at the end, when she stands in front of Michael's door, he opens and asks her in and she turns round and says to the cameraman and director not to follow her in - next we get a full shot of their faces. So where did that camera come from all of a sudden?

The film did of course not start at 6pm sharp but about 15 minutes later, after someone preached to us for a while about questionnaires and cameras after etc - but I am afraid we took the survey and scarpered. I don't mind writing a review here but I don't want to answer silly questions like "List the scenes you liked most and least" etc, sorry.

6/10

[Beate]

P.S: Seth Rogen was in it for all of 5 seconds, if that. Thank God.

[a_person]

Wow I'm so glad I didn't bother to go watch that. I guess you didn't stay for the discussion?

[Beate]

No, I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, in fact I really enjoyed the middle bit and all the interviews but it just felt like the director wasn't sure where it was going so tried too hard to coax her along into a good ending.

[platini_ng]

Actually I am quite enjoy the movie. It is non tradition. Trying to use a different way to make a movie.

I am glad they started at 615 and at least they had the intention to start at 6pm. But just ppl show up late.

But I must agree with guy preaching in the begining. I dont remember exact wording but what he meant was " Nothing is free in this world" So, I stay down for several minutes to finish the questionaire.

[Beate]

It was exactly that comment that made me get up and leave promptly, I thought that pompous twit can't force me to stay, and yes, some things are free!

[AYBG]

At the end I wasn't so sure anymore whether it was really a fresh, spontaneous looking capture of the awkward moments of young love, or whether we had been had and it was really cleverly edited.

It's an ad-libbed mockumentary - not "real" per se, but they play themselves honestly...

See Clark and Michael

[pcRock]

Yes, I agree. The guy at the beginning was annoying. Nothing is free?!? I was thinking to myself "what a load of cra*".

Otherwise, I quite liked the movie, in particular the cartoon/animated parts and the interviews.

I had never been to that cinema, so I was really surprised with the layout of the screening room. My neck was hurting after the movie!

[cellar_door]

haha cheers biggins!! how rude! but since you share the name with one of my much loved comic actors i'll let you off.

thankx to a_person for allowing me to see this film.

I echo some of Beate comments but I did find Charlene delightful.

I'm torn between a 7 and an 8. I think i'll go 7.

did anyone stay for the discussion after? i'd be interested to hear what they said?

[Ms Thrifty]

So I didn't miss too much, then? I realised belatedly that I could perhaps fit this film in between 2 plays, but I could get no info about the running time and the Prince Charles website showed that the next film wasn't until 8.45 pm, which was too late. Anyway, any mention of Michael Cera would put me off. What is it with him? He seems (judging from "Juno") only to have one facial expression, so any actual acting would presumably be expecting too much.