Paul
March 27, 2011
4 Stars out of 5
Director Greg Mottola has done something that I thought nearly impossible. He has created a film with heart and soul that is centered around a CGI character. Writers Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, who are also the co-stars of the film, must also take a lot of the credit. But in an era when the special effects tail has a tendency to wag the movie dog, somehow this trio got it right; this is a funny film in which the third lead just happens to be not real. Mottola, Pegg and Frost probably had a big assist from Seth Rogen, who provides the voice of Paul, the titular alien. A good friend of mine pointed out that the humor in this film is exceedingly juvenile. Well, that's as may be, but not a single minute of this 90 minute film passed by without me laughing. Be sure to stay for the extra bits under the credits. Worth a special trip to see.
Director Greg Mottola has done something that I thought nearly impossible. He has created a film with heart and soul that is centered around a CGI character. Writers Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, who are also the co-stars of the film, must also take a lot of the credit. But in an era when the special effects tail has a tendency to wag the movie dog, somehow this trio got it right; this is a funny film in which the third lead just happens to be not real. Mottola, Pegg and Frost probably had a big assist from Seth Rogen, who provides the voice of Paul, the titular alien. A good friend of mine pointed out that the humor in this film is exceedingly juvenile. Well, that's as may be, but not a single minute of this 90 minute film passed by without me laughing. Be sure to stay for the extra bits under the credits. Worth a special trip to see.