I can’t speak for every indie movie lover regarding Paper Heart. There will be some people who love the docu-comedy starring comedienne Charlyne Yi. You just couldn’t count me in that crowd. Not that I hated this movie, but it just didn’t do it for me. Here’s why.
In the beginning of the flick, Yi admits that she’s never believed in love, no matter footage of her as a child making her dolls get married says differently. So, Yi sets out across the country to interview couples and see if she can figure out exactly what love is. Her interviews with regular folks—rowdy bikers, Elvis wedding officiants and long-time couples—are intertwined with a fictional account of a relationship developing between Yi and George Michael Bluth…er…we mean Michael Cera. No wait, we mean that dude from Superbad. Aw, screw it; they’re all the same, no matter how cute and awkward they are. Anyhoo…some people might believe these scenes are also part of the documentary given how spontaneous they feel; however, given recent reports that Yi and Cera broke up—oh, wait, no they never “ever dated”—there is no doubt that these scenes are faked.
In the beginning of the flick, Yi admits that she’s never believed in love, no matter footage of her as a child making her dolls get married says differently. So, Yi sets out across the country to interview couples and see if she can figure out exactly what love is. Her interviews with regular folks—rowdy bikers, Elvis wedding officiants and long-time couples—are intertwined with a fictional account of a relationship developing between Yi and George Michael Bluth…er…we mean Michael Cera. No wait, we mean that dude from Superbad. Aw, screw it; they’re all the same, no matter how cute and awkward they are. Anyhoo…some people might believe these scenes are also part of the documentary given how spontaneous they feel; however, given recent reports that Yi and Cera broke up—oh, wait, no they never “ever dated”—there is no doubt that these scenes are faked.
Knowing this going into Paper Heart, the storyline between Yi and Cera feels so incredibly manipulative. No matter how much they tout that it’s a made up part of the documentary to enhance the film, it’s all so phony-feeling. More manipulation in the film is also evidenced by the fact that director Nick Jasenovec is really played by actor Jake Johnson, which is a shame because the scenes between Fake Nick and Yi are perhaps the best part of the film. Even though it is indeed two actors again rather than a director and his muse, they have better chemistry than Yi and Cera, who make us feel like we’re watching a home video of two 13-year-olds who giggle incessantly at the phrase “do it.” It’s all very awkward.
But in spite of all of the manipulation and awkward scenes Paper Heart is still a cute movie and worth your hard-earned cash. The real-life interviews are incredibly sweet and would make anyone in the audience believe in love, even if Yi claims to not know it. And, after each interview, Yi has created homemade, crafty dioramas and paper (ha, get it?) dolls that reenact a story from the interview. These cutesy segments are very inventive and creative and almost make up for the falsification the faux-narrative piles on.
All in all, Paper Heart is just what the title suggests—it may be cute to look at, but it’s ultimately superficial and fleeting.
--Darcie Duttweiler
But in spite of all of the manipulation and awkward scenes Paper Heart is still a cute movie and worth your hard-earned cash. The real-life interviews are incredibly sweet and would make anyone in the audience believe in love, even if Yi claims to not know it. And, after each interview, Yi has created homemade, crafty dioramas and paper (ha, get it?) dolls that reenact a story from the interview. These cutesy segments are very inventive and creative and almost make up for the falsification the faux-narrative piles on.
All in all, Paper Heart is just what the title suggests—it may be cute to look at, but it’s ultimately superficial and fleeting.
--Darcie Duttweiler
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