He’s playing Richard Dunn, the author of a well-reviewed but dismally uncommercial novel, who is struggling to make headway on a new book. He spends his time in a state of perpetual catatonia punctuated by fits of pique. His wife, Claire (Lisa Kudrow), a surgeon, seems like an eminently sensible type, which makes you wonder why she’s with this surly layabout in the first place.When she engineers his wintertime transfer to a beach house in Montauk, Long Island, the hope is that the peace and quiet will kick-start the new novel. Instead, he hooks up with a local teenager, Abby (Emma Stone), who hires herself out to him as a baby sitter on the mistaken notion that he has a baby to sit. He, of course, is the big baby.

This setup has “quirky” written all over it. The co-writers and directors, Michele Mulroney and Kieran Mulroney, are the kind of filmmakers who think that, by piling on all the oddballs, they’ll make a truly oddball movie. It doesn’t work that way. Less is often more, and, in addition to Richard and Emma, there’s also Emma’s abusive boyfriend (Hunter Parrish) and a puppyish cohort (Kieran Culkin) who, perhaps, inadvertently, seems more like a stalker than an admirer.

But the most egregious character is Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds, with close-cropped blondish hair), who has been Richard’s imaginary friend since the second grade. He pops up in his Spandex costume during those times when Richard needs aid and comfort. Whenever Captain Excellent shows up, the movie is definitely not excellent.

Did the filmmakers think that having him around would increase the kiddie demographic for this film? Or was it their way of cluing us in that Richard has never grown up? But we already knew this – and then some. The film’s only suspense is whether or not Richard’s platonic friendship with Abby will slide into something more. After all, she’s read his first book, cooks him soup… what’s left? In the one sequence in the film with any bite, the suspense is resolved, but the queasiness lingers.

I’ve always liked Jeff Daniels, especially when he’s playing slightly daft characters (or more than slightly daft, as in “Dumb and Dumber”). But his novelist here is a silly conceit. We don’t even get a real sense of what kind of writer Richard is, or even if he’s any good. It does make a difference, after all, if the novel he can’t write is worth writing. A bigger question: Was “Paper Man” worth making? Captain Excellent and I would probably differ on that one. Grade: C- (Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality.)

Source: CS Monitor

The movie stars Emma Stone as a 17-year-old who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a middle-age novelist, played by Jeff Daniels. Both characters rely on made-up friends, including Daniels’ fictional Captain Excellent, played by Ryan Reynolds (who seems to be making a career of superhero roles lately).When we caught up with Stone, the actress said she was too busy as a kid dealing with her own complex personality to make any friends — real or imaginary.

“I was my own imaginary friend,” Stone told MTV News. “I was a ham. I was so obnoxious. I was very bossy. I was just awful. [My turning point was] at about 8. I had my first massive panic attack. That changed things a little bit.”

Although she didn’t grow up with an invented pal, 21-year-old Stone said she could see the value in having one. “I think an imaginary friend needs to pump you up,” she explained. “Captain Excellent is a superhero, so what’s better to pump you up than a superhero?

“We all have that voice in [our] head,” she added. “But it’s really bad when your imaginary friend is bringing you down.”

Source: MTV

As I have received some new information from the movie representative for ‘Paper Man’ as it will be released April 23rd in New York (Angelika Theater) and Los Angeles (Landmark Theater). It’s opening May 7th in Seattle (Landmark Metro) and May 21st in San Francisco (theater TBD). More dates will be rolling out as summer draws closer. You can join the ‘Paper Man’ official facebook & visit the new official site!

GALLERY LINKS:

• (x001) Paper Man: Posters
• (x040) Paper Man: Stills
• (x001) Paper Man: Screen Captures > Trailer

GALLERY LINK:

• (x010) Events in 2010: Florida Film Festival Paper Man Screening – April 10