In 2011, director Greg Mottola‘s Paul delivered big laughs in theaters with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the leading roles.
Frost and Pegg play a pair of sci-fi super fans who find themselves on a road trip to help a real-life alien escape from a government manhunt.
The premise of Paul is actually a lot funnier than it sounds, and this comedy is so terrific that it’s series With Us‘ pick for the great movie on Netflix that you have to series before it leaves in September.
Sci-fi just doesn’t get a lot of love on Netflix in August. That’s not unusual, but fans of the genre may feel disappointed. The only worthy entree among this month’s new films is The 5th Wave, a YA alien invasion flick that can get pretty harrowing. In the absence of anything else new, we’ve chosen […]
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost Are a Great Comedy Team
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Over two decades ago, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost starred in Shaun of the Dead for director Edgar Wright. That was considered the first part of their Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy. However, Paul could almost qualify as their fourth despite Wright’s absence. Frost and Pegg cowrote Paul, and it feels like the thematic continuation of their earlier films together.
Naturally, Pegg and Frost play a pair of best friends/man-children, Graeme Willy and Clive Gollings, neither of whom has fully grown up despite hitting their ’30s. What happens to them when they meet Paul is like a stoner version of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. No matter how wild things get in the movie, the grounding aspect of the story is the bond that Graeme and Clive have with each other. It’s hard to fake that kind of friendship and chemistry on screen, and that’s one of the reasons why Pegg and Frost work so well together.
Seth Rogen Gives Paul a Very Funny Persona
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Part of the inherent comedy of Paul is that the title character looks like a stereotypical alien, but talks like a drunken stoner. Who could play that better than Seth Rogen? His voice goes a long way towards humanizing Paul with a hilarious persona. But more importantly, Rogen doesn’t go so over-the-leading with his performance that Paul can’t demonstrate some real emotions like regret.
Sci-fi just doesn’t get a lot of love on Netflix in August. That’s not unusual, but fans of the genre may feel disappointed. The only worthy entree among this month’s new films is The 5th Wave, a YA alien invasion flick that can get pretty harrowing. In the absence of anything else new, we’ve chosen […]
The combination of CGI and practical effects used to bring Paul to life as a character is all very impressive. And none of it would work if Paul himself weren’t such a funny and sympathetic figure. It’s easy to understand why Graeme and Clive ultimately agree to help him stay ahead of the U.S. government so he can escape back to his own world.
The Entire Cast Balances Humor With Stakes
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There’s always a risk that an action comedy can veer so far towards comedy that the stakes no longer mean anything. No one would ever mistake Paul for a serious movie, but the audience needs to believe that its dramatic stakes are real or else the entire thing could fall apart. For the most part, Paul succeeds at walking that tonal tightrope thanks in large part to the cast.
Jason Bateman has an unconventional turn as Special Agent Lorenzo Zoil, the man in charge of recapturing Paul. There are certain inconsistencies in Lorenzo’s actions that make sense by the end of the film. Kristen Wiig also costars as Ruth Buggs, a woman whose life is changed by her time with Paul and his two human friends. So much so that she’s a major member of Team Paul in the film’s final act. Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglio add the comic relief as Agents Haggard and O’Reilly. Sigourney Weaver also has a memorable role late in the movie, which we won’t spoil.
This film feels alive thanks to the strength of its performers and enhanced by its comedic touch. Paul also succeeds as a standalone movie that doesn’t need a sequel to feel complete.
Paul is streaming on Netflix through August 31.
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