Release Date: January 18, 2011
Running Time: 110 minutes
Rating: R

Paper Man is a wonderfully quirky drama about creative people trying desperately to find the same joy in real life as they do in their imagination. Golden Globe and Tony nominee Jeff Daniels (Dumb and Dumber, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Terms of Endearment) stars as Richard Dunn, a no-hit wonder of a novelist who has been squirreled away in Montauk, Long Island, by his sensible surgeon wife (Emmy winner Lisa Kudrow of Friends) so that he’ll get cracking on his second book.

But Richard isn’t exactly alone out on the edge of the world: Along for the ride is a lonely local teen, Abby (a breakout performance by hot new star Emma Stone, soon to play the romantic lead in the reboot of Spider-Man), who befriends Richard after he hires her to be a babysitter … his babysitter. Plus, there’s Richard’s imaginary best friend from childhood, Captain Excellent (People magazine’s new “Sexiest Man Alive” Ryan Reynolds of The Proposal and the upcoming Green Lantern), a confidant always ready to prod him along toward adulthood, whether Richard wants it or not.

Aching, funny and true, PAPER MAN is a genuinely offbeat gem that marks the promising debut of writing and directing team Kieran and Michele Mulroney, the screenwriters of Guy Ritchie’s upcoming sequel to his blockbuster Sherlock Holmes.

Paper Man is an independent drama about one teenage girl and one man’s longing for a sincere relationship that can help inspire them to embrace life and the future. Richard is failing in his career as an author and he is also failing to accept the day of new beginnings. As a result, Richard is struggling with writer’s block. This leads him to doing crazy things like making a couch out of his published novel and seeking a friend in a 17 year old girl. Because of a family tragedy in Abby’s past, she is struggling with trying to find her youth. This leads to immature decisions including having a selfish and disrespectful boyfriend (played by Hunter Parrish) as her confidant.

When Richard’s wife (played by Lisa Kudrow) leaves him in the off season at a Long Island rental home, isolated to work on his next book, he meets a local, Abby who is just as lonely as he. Richard’s imaginary friend, Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) tries to keep Richard on task just as Abby’s imaginary friend or stalker, played by Kieran Culkin, tries to encourage her to fall in love with her imagination again. Neither attempt works and what unfolds is dark comedic irony. In the end though, Richard and Abby’s relationship is discovered by Richard’s wife. This is what finally inspires the two to give up their imaginary friends and make the right decisions on their own.

It’s interesting that Richard’s wife attempted to help him by giving him space to be creative, although once given that space, Richard did not hesitate to welcome Abby over when the two first met in town. The two are clearly not on the same page about where they are in their marriage, no matter how many times his wife answers his questions. So Abby became not only a friend to Richard but a muse, without even trying to be.

And when Richard’s wife came to visit and found the two together, that’s when both realized that Richard can be his own friend and inspiration and Abby can be her own friend and inspiration to embrace what’s ahead in life. They have to look within themselves and sort out what is there before they can ever move forward in life. Watching that unfold, watching these people re-discover themselves again is worth watching. The film was filled with strong performances and strong characters. These characters gave the film more depth than the story itself. It might seem unsafe and off putting to watch two strangers bond over homemade soup, but as the film goes on, it becomes quite refreshing to see two characters help each other help themselves come alive again…and without sex once Abby lays down the boundaries.

It’s a tricky character study that will probably leave you wanting a film following Abby and a film following Richard and his wife, to see what becomes of them. Paper Man will take you on an emotional ride that at times may seem awkward and isolating but it’s worth watching till the end. It’s worth watching these characters grow to embrace what they’ve been so afraid to let go of and come ahold of.

Bonus Features:

Making Of (12:43 minutes) – This feature contains on set interviews with the creators and cast of Paper Man. The writers/directors Kieran Mulroney and Michele Mulroney open up the feature discussing the screenplay and the process of getting the film made. The two don’t go into too much depth about the latter, but do mention that after writing the script over 5 years ago and with being so involved in every aspect of getting the film made, it was very fitting to direct the film. The two also mention that there was re-casting and a location change (from the Cape to the Island), so production didn’t come without its conflicts. The actors talk about working on independent films and working with the directing team, who are first time directors. These are sweet and typical sit down interviews for a DVD but there is still something to learn and appreciate, so the “Making Of” is worth the watch.

Appearing in this feature:
Writers/Directors, Kieran Mulroney and Michele Mulroney
Cast Members, Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Daniels, Lisa Kudrow, Emma Stone, Hunter Parrish, and Kieran Culkin
Producers, Richard N. Gladstein, Ara Katz, and Art Spigel

Own Paper Man on DVD today.