Charlyne Yi does not believe in love. Or so she says. Well, at the very least, she doesn?t believe in fairy-tale love or the Hollywood mythology of love, and her own experiences have turned her into yet another modern-da... more »y skeptic.
Follow Charlyne across America as she and her good friend (and director) Nicholas Jasenovec search for answers and advice about love, by talking with friends and strangers, scientists, bikers, romance novelists, and children. They each offer diverse views on modern romance, as well as various answers to the age-old question: does true love really exist? Charlyne?s pursuit to discover the nature of love takes on a fresh new urgency when she meets a boy after her own heart: Michael Cera. As their relationship develops on camera, her pursuit risks losing the person she finds closest to her heart.
Combining elements of documentary and traditional storytelling, reality and fantasy, Paper Heart brings a fresh perspective to the modern romance and redefines the classic love story.« less
Andrea L. from WINDSOR, VT Reviewed on 3/26/2011...
Hubby and I really didn't enjoy it. Was like an (amateur) teenage-angst film.
1 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
What part of hybrid documentary do you NOT understand???
Anthony James | Orange County, CA | 09/19/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a general rule, I don't read reviews of anything or pay any attention to critics (even internet-nobody critics like myself). To paraphrase the great Henry Rollins, the vast majority of 'em are not worth the food they're fed. I must confess, however, that had it not been for a couple of movie critics on TV (names obviously withheld) that I happened to catch in passing, I would never have found out about either Paper Heart or the weird and wonderful world of Charlyne Yi, Paper Heart's star/co-creator/co-writer. So for that, I thank those critics in question. And that's where my use for 'em ends.
Most of the criticism levelled at Paper Heart that I'm aware of has to do with it not being a "true" documentary (though Charlyne and director/co-creator/co-writer Nicholas Jasenovec themselves have CLEARLY stated in many interviews that it is, in fact, a "hybrid documentary" that, according to the official Paper Heart website, "combines elements of documentary and traditional storytelling, reality and fantasy to bring a fresh perspective to the modern romance and redefines the classic love story") and the relationship between Charlyne Yi and co-star Michael Cera not actually being real (please refer to my parenthesesed remarks immediately preceding these parenthesesed remarks). I'm not exactly sure what all of these critics are not understanding but it's pretty apparent that as usual, they just don't get it.
I personally believe that Paper Heart beautifully succeeds as the hybrid documentary that it is and totally fits the definition of it above. Charlyne Yi is an extremely fascinating young newcomer with a smile that can light up a room and truckloads of charm to boot. I look forward to seeing MUCH more of her in the future. Michael Cera is Michael Cera and there's certainly nothing wrong with that, as the success of both Superbad and Juno have clearly proven. Jake Johnson deserves special mention for his dry and understated performance as the director, Nicholas Jasenovec (natch). I also eagerly await his upcoming work. Also worth mentioning are the adorable little vignettes interspersed throughout the film where real people talk about their experiences being in love and their stories are told via charming as hell two-dimensional puppets created by, you guessed it, the charming as hell Charlyne Yi. The soundtrack, composed primarily by Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi (with help from many other talented and gifted songwriters/musicians), is the icing on the cake and provides a terrific listening experience on it's own.
Paper Heart is a very witty and entertaining film. I highly recommend it."
A charming, funny and original story
Holly K. Lee | Chicago, IL | 01/04/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The movie begins by introducing the viewer to Charlyne Yi. Charlyne is making a documentary about love, so we find out more about that and get to know a bit about her.
As the movie progresses she meets Michael Cera and finds herself in an interesting situation. Having thought she could not feel love or fall in love, she wonders if maybe she was wrong. The feelings she has for Michael grow and the film crew starts to hinder their growth as a couple. Charlyne finds herself questioning what is really important to her.
This move is fantastic. It is charming and awkward, what you would expect from these actors. The format is interesting and unique, a fiction about the filiming of a documentary, displayed as a documentary. It really works on screen and gives an interesting dynamic to the storyline. Must see!"
Mockumentary or not: It's dull.
E. D. Garcia | San Francisco, CA | 03/25/2010
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Folks are getting really bent out of shape about the "classification" of this film. Personally, "hybrid documentary" to me, means: mockumentary. The story can be based on real events or have a bunch of ad-libbed lines all it wants, but once you see professional actors playing roles in the film: it's not a documentary!
That aside, the movie is dull. The plot is a decent idea, but the set-up takes far too long. And then once we get to the "juicy" part of the story, it's really not all that juicy after all: these two socially awkward characters never stop being awkward. For me, the characters simply came off as shallow and annoying.
If you're looking for a good Michael Cera flick, watch "Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist." Looking for a good mockumentary; try "Waiting for Guffman." Looking for a reason to demand 1.5 hours of your life back; this is your movie! "
Here's my Pseudo-Documentary Review of this Pseudo-Documenta
Timothy Capehart | Dayton, Ohio USA | 02/20/2010
(2 out of 5 stars)
"We went out to dinner (I had a tuna melt and a couple of beers. Trent had his usual portabella club but was sad the restaurant was out of onion rings. I got to have burbon barrel stout which is second only to Dragon's Milk in the hierarchy of fabulous beers).
We'd decided to skip "Shutter Island" which has been pushed back far too many times to be as good as it looks and go home to watch the DVD of "Paper Heart" that has been hanging around since mid-December.
We popped it in around 8. We clapped for Martin Starr (we love him) and then came Seth Rogen (he's great too)...then Trent fell asleep.
About seventeen minutes into the movie I dozed off. Thankfully the cats had a noisy dust-up over the tissue paper we left on the floor for them to play with & it woke me up. When Michael Cera came on screen I thought, "OK this will pick up now." I liked him in Arrested Development & Superbad & Juno and Nick & Norah (--but I have to say that because I know the author of the novel--I guess the way I said that hints that I didn't like the movie much {the best part was hunting for David and Rachel in every crowd scene. hint: they're at the end in the cafe})
Back to Michael Cera's appearance. I'm slightly disturbed that Charlyne and Michael seem to have the exact same mannerisms. I decide another beer might keep me awake. There's a gross one in the fridge left over from Christmas (yes, it's that gross; it's survived two months in the back of the fridge).
I like the self-conscious little puppetry scenes. They're cute.
I dozed again about 50 minutes in. (my notes here say "fire wakes me" OUR house wasn't on fire and our neighbors' houses are intact, so I'm guessing something burned in the movie...I don't remember). My beer trick is not working.
I dozed again and sirens in the movie wake me--oh, good it's over. Trent wakes up and says, "You know few things are as unfunny as a movie that is convinced it IS funny."
I still liked the puppets...but I'm wishing the cats hadn't fought, so I could have had as nice a nap as Trent. Or I could have read that fun mystery I'm being paid to review by Publisher's Weekly.