PAUL – the newest film written by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg (Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz ) and directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) is basically nerd brain candy. Not to say it is elitist, or unapproachable to the non-nerd public. It isn’t. Not by a long shot. In fact it probably drops fewer inside nerd jokes than a single episode of Big Bang Theory. But Paul isn’t trying to be some ambassador of nerd culture. It is just a great buddy film/ road trip adventure that happens to take place between two ubber nerds and a little green alien.
Frost and Pegg play Clive and Graeme, two long time friends and hard core nerds making a long awaited pilgrimage to the San Diego Comic book convention. On a road trip through America’s UFO hot spots of the south west – they meet Paul; a small, green, frank, rude Alien. Paul ( who is PERFECTLY voiced by Seth Rogen) is on the run from the US Government after years of captivity. Clive and Graeme agree to help the fugitive extraterrestrial and much hilarity ensues. Along their way they meet one eyed christian fundamentalist Ruth played by Kristen Wiig, and catch a great deal of heat from a team of bungling Men in black played by Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, and Joe Lo Truglio.
To be completely frank – I don’t think I have much journalistic objectivity in regards to Paul. If there is a demographic this film is assured to win the hearts of – I am in it. I would be greatly surprised if any self described nerd doesn’t like this film. Paul is a wonderful combination of nerd literate cinema and just plain solid story telling. Did I forget to mention that it is funny? It’s REALLY FUNNY, that AND they didn’t show all the funny parts in the trailers! Which, lets be honest – seems to be a rare thing now-a-days in Hollywood. While some nerd centric films try to explain nerdisms to the general public some of the best references in Paul are not even overt references; they are wonderfully subtle insertions of things that nerds will recognize. Be it lines of dialog, or the blue grass band in the back ground playing a twangy rendition of the Star Wars Cantina Song. The non nerd public probably won’t notice these things, but not noticing won’t hurt their appreciation of the film because the story telling is so well done, and they blend seamlessly into the story. Paul is overwhelmingly worth the price of a movie ticket. But like I said – I really don’t have any objectivity with this film. I am not a critic in any regard at this point – I am that nerd friend who loved a movie and is going to nag you to go see it. SO GO SEE IT!!!