Two British fan boys find their science-fiction tour of the States to be all to real in the extraterrestrial comedy, PAUL.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are Graeme and Clive, two avid comic book and science fiction fans that stumble upon Paul, an alien on the run from federal authorities. Paul, voiced by Seth Rogan, isn’t your average alien, a wise-cracking, pot smoking individual who’s only care is to avoid the feds.
The mismatched threesome are also joined on their adventure by Ruth, a Bible-thumping Westerner who finds her beliefs challenged by Paul.
PAUL not only stars Pegg and Frost, the talented tandem that has starred in such rollicking comedies as SHAUN OF THE DEAD and HOT FUZZ, but the two also serve as the film’s co-writers. This is what makes PAUL all the more disappointing.
These funny men have taken the easy way out to laughs, relying on standard clichés and other films to provide inspiration for their own material. Pegg and Frost continue their stooge and comic duo well, but the rest of the film seems to cater to the standard.
Paul, is not only voiced by Seth Rogan, but is Seth Rogan. Wise-cracking, pot-smoking and just generally screwing around make up Paul’s personality. Much like other Rogan characters, they’re funny for awhile, but generally run out of steam. Only so many male genital jokes can garner laughs before ceasing to be funny.
The same can be said of Kristen Wiig’s Ruth, a former Bible-thumper gone wild, who finds freedom from religion to be an exhilarating ride with profanity-laced tirades. Once is pretty funny, twice not bad, but by the seventh expletive outburst the act becomes tiresome.
PAUL owes a lot to 80’s alien movies, from ET to CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, and it gives the master of these films his proper due. PAUL uses these references as a tribute, but more often than not, it feels like a lack of creativity.
PAUL's earthly creative constraints ground a concept that could have been out of this world.
Grade: C
No comments:
Post a Comment