Review: 'Paper Man' is a movie that's good for you

Posted Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 12:34 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

We all need to eat better. More fruits and vegetables, they say. By the same token, your movie diet should consist of more than just mindless action movies and zany comedies.

I enjoy those types of fattening films as much as the next guy. I also enjoy quiet films that let you explore complex character relationships. That's exactly what I hoped for in watching Paper Man.

Paper Man is a comedy/drama (you know, "dramedy") starring Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Kieran Culkin and Lisa Kudrow. Daniels plays Richard, a quirky, middle-aged writer. Kudrow is his wife Claire, a big-time heart surgeon. She urges her husband to spend his winter in the quiet Long Island hamlet of Montauk to finish his next novel. Richard isn't staying alone however. He's brought along his imaginary friend, a superhero named Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds), that he's had since childhood.

Richard settles into his new surroundings and quickly gets busy doing nothing. Rather than spending his time writing, he doubts himself and looks for distractions. He meets a local teen played by Emma Stone. Much to Captain Excellent's disapproval, Richard hires her to babysit each week. The only problem is that he doesn't have a baby or anything else for her to watch.

Instead the two become unusual friends. They confide in each other. Their lives are both lacking something. For Richard it's the courage to lead his own life. His new friend must get over a scarring childhood incident.

The two also share a common trait. It's a subtle secret within the film. I didn't pick up on it very quickly but my wife, watching the movie with me, recognized it almost instantly. In retrospect, their shared characteristic is so transparent that it's almost a gimmick.

There is a lot to enjoy in this quaint film. Some really funny lines that'll give you a chuckle. It's a very interesting character study played out with tremendous performances. I don't think anyone portrays quirky better than Daniels. And Emma Stone shows why she's such a rising star in acting. As Daniels himself says on the DVD's Making-Of, writer-directors Michelle and Kieran Mulroney have made "the quintessential independent film."

Ultimately, it's an offbeat film that tries a bit too hard to be offbeat. If you enjoy these actors, as I do, I recommend it. Paper Man will give you that quiet film sustenance your movie-watching mind hungers.