Documentaries can be informative and they can be quirky, they can be an excuse to rant or to prove a point. Seldom do documentaries turn into a movie with a heart of it's own. In "Paper Heart" Comedian Charlyne Yi embarks on a journey to discover what exactly love is, she claims she just doesn't feel it. That she never has and she isn't aware of where the emotion comes from or even what it's like to experience it. She decides with the help of her friend who is also the films director, Nicholas Jasenovec to set out on a cross country trip and ask people what it is they think love is.
Charlyne and Nicholas travel across the United States talking to anyone that will stop long enough, at first Charlyne is almost to giddy to talk to anyone, she eventually stops a couple and hears their take on love. Some of the Interviews are with ministers, happily married couples, chemists, romance novelists, divorce lawyers, and a small group of children. One of the boys will become our next President, he has such a smooth way of talking it's like he is already getting ready to run. Some of the couples that are interviewed have their story turned into a little sketch done mainly with puppetry by Charlyne and Nicholas that adds to the movies genius.
Then when Charlyne is at a friends house, she seems to know all the biggest stars, Seth Rogan makes a little appearance just long enough to crack a joke or two. The one star who does stick around through most of the movie is Michael Cera who becomes the object of Charlyne's affections. It is cute to see her experience the one emotion that she claims she has no idea what it feels like to experience. Michael soon is following the filmmakers to location after location and soon is spending time with Charlyne, the two have lunch one day and while they are discussing how she felt when the two first met, Michael says "well I wont waste your time then" he gets up and walks out of the diner where they are having lunch, Charlyne is devastated that he has left, Michael has just walked around the diner to the back entrance as a joke. It sounds mean but it is one of the movies best scenes.
Charlyne hears many stories about love, about relationships and the whole time she is trying to spend more time alone with Michael. Of course like every Hollywood love story the couple has the break up scene, Michael finds it hard to be followed around ALL the time by the cameras. He asks Charlyne if she wants to be alone and they run off. Nicholas tells them that the film company is going to pay for the team to go to Paris to shoot the films ending, love in the greatest city associated with LOVE. Michael balks at the idea. He seems hurt when Charlyne says she isn't in love, and we next hear that Michael has told Charlyne that he can not be in a relationship of that type. The film crew still heads to Paris but Charlyne is so hurt that she can't even finish her own film, she decides that she doesn't want to lose Michael and makes the film crew stop off in Toronto on the way back. When they get to Michael's family home in Canada she tells the film crew to wait outside, she goes inside and the camera man tells Nicholas that her sound is still on and asks if he wants him to keep filming. In the movies most touching scene Nicholas tells him to cut the film. Of course the movie needed a new ending and Charlyne gives him a what will be a widely talked about ending down with puppets and she narrates the ending.
I give Paper Heart a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0, this is a touching movie that will make even the cynic in you think about just how good the feelings of being loved and loving in return can make you feel. Their are many touching stories here and the people who share them deserve to have their stories told. The gay couple who share their story about their relationship are funny as well as emotionally touching. GO see this little movie that may just be what every one is talking about.
Paper Heart is rated PG-13 for Strong Language
Running time is 1 hr. 28 mins.
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