LAFF Review: Paper Man

Paper Man

OPENING: 06/18/2009

STUDIO: Artfire Films

ACCOMPLICES: N/A

SOUNDTRACK: N/A

The Charge
What happens when life stalls but the world keeps moving forward?

Opening Statement
Opening night of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival showed much less glam and glitz than years past, focusing more on the art than the Hollywood. The heart of Westwood was almost serene tonight. Broxton Street, once host to lavish after parties, remained open and quiet; Lindbrook Avenue wasn’t lined with fans hoping to catch a glimpse of celebrity royalty, as there were none to be found; and the Mann Village Theatre was full, but not bursting, requiring no overflow theatre to accommodate the crowds. While some might point to the economic downturn as the main reason for the change, looking up and down this year’s 200+ film schedule, you’ll quickly see a conscious choice by festival director Rebecca Yeldham (Anvil! The Story of Anvil) and her team to present a more introspective palate. Kieran and Michele Mulroney’s Paper Man was a most appropriate choice to establish the tone.

Facts of the Case
Richard (Jeff Daniels) is suffering from a most debilitating affliction: writer’s block. His wife Claire (Lisa Kudrow), a successful surgeon, gets him out of NYC and rents a house on the Long Island seashore, hoping to reawaken the creative process. Despite his first novel being somewhat of a commercial flop, Richard’s publisher has him under the gun to complete a second, which isn’t doing anything to dispell his disillusionment. Even his childhood imaginary friend, Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds), can’t seem to break Richard out of this downward spiral. Yet, just when things seem most bleak, along comes Abby (Emma Stone), a local high schooler and kindred spirit. Immediately drawn to her own obvious angst, the two form a unique bond, setting their individual worlds on a collision course whose ripple effects will impact everyone around them.

The Evidence
I love films that are unapologetic for what they have to offer. Despite fronting an all-star cast and opening a major film festival, Paper Man is not destined to become a mainstream success… and that’s okay. This is a film for people who love film, one which can’t be spoon-fed to the masses as anything other than what it is: a slow but beautifully unfolding character study, deliberate in chewing on every element of its own existence. Its two-hour runtime may make the art house uninitiated squirm — as evidenced by tonight’s increasing amount of aisle traffic in the second and third acts — but those willing to take the journey will have their investment pay off in spades.

Much like Sophia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, Paper Man centers on an unconventional relationship between two lost souls. Richard and Abby are doing penance for injustices in their lives, but somewhere along the way that solitude defined them. They no longer know themselves outside of their pain and it takes seeing that in each other to truly recognize and deal with it. While some people’s brains will immediately turn to Woody Allen or Mary Kay Letourneau, this is not that type of relationship, and yet everyone in these characters lives make that same leap in judgment. This then begs the question: Can two people, vastly different in every way, make a deep connection that transcends conventional labels?

The Mulroneys show us they can and do so in style. Known more for their writing and producing efforts, this directorial turn is quite impressive. After a Juno-esque opening title sequence, the overly indie earmarks take a backseat to more conventional filmmaking. While there are some interesting setups, transitions, and focus pulls, Kieran and Michele let their characters drive the aesthetic. The stark winter setting echoes the bleakness in the characters lives, hinting at potential new life gestating beneath the surface. Anyone who has spent time living in a home not their own will sympathize with the uncomfortableness of one’s foreign surroundings. And those who are writers will immediately identify with Richard’s myriad distractions that keep him from facing the cruelty of a blank page. Paper Man is an excellent companion piece to Sam Mendes’ Away We Go (which also features Jeff Daniels). The two films share a similar tone, in that life can very easily be lived outside of the margins defined by modern society. We only have to choose to believe it can and give ourselves the power to do so.

While words on a page are one thing, once put into the hands of gifted actors they give life to characters who will echo in your subconscious. This may well be Jeff Daniels finest role. It’s easy to play crazy for laughs, but to pull off a 50 year old man with an imaginary friend and make you believe it, that’s Jimmy Stewart caliber work. The authenticity he brings to Richard demands the attention of audiences, critics, and peers… and he’s not alone. I’ve been a fan of Emma Stone since her work on the short-lived Tim Minear series Drive and she keeps getting better with each outing. Holding her own opposite Jeff and co-star Kieran Culkin (who looks like 10 miles of bad road) is accomplishment enough, but when the time comes for Abby to dig deep and confront her own demons, Emma generates a light all her own. Together they make this story sing.

Lisa Kudrow continues to do well for herself and this is another solid performance. The same goes for Ryan Reynolds, well on his way to becoming the next Bruce Willis, milking that wry comic charm and making it look effortless. Speaking of looks, the boy spends the entire film in wholly unforgiving spandex without a hint of imperfection (aside from that obnoxious peroxide job), and that ain’t easy.

Closing Statement
Life has no easy answers or clear cut happy endings, something that Hollywood works hard to make us forget, and yet we often grow the most from seeing ourselves in that truth. Paper Man helps us see, even in deepest despair, there is wonder to behold and adventure to pursue. More importantly, it reminds us all that even the smallest films can pack one heck of a punch.

The Verdict
9/10

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