Paper Man (2009)

Richard Dunn (Jeff Daniels) is a writer who is about to start with his second book. Expectations are high, but he’s suffering from severe writers block. His wife Clair (Lisa Kudrow, who always seem to play the exact same character) has hired a cabin for him so he will be able to work there alone, away from everyday life. You’ll find out quickly that Richard is not alone at all as his imaginary friend, Captain Excellent (played by Ryan Reynolds), who has been with him since he was a boy is also there. It’s not the only thing that’s strange about Richard Dunn.

When Richard travels to the nearby village to buy some food it becomes clear that he is socially different as well. He meets 17-year-old Abby (Emma Stone), who has some of her own secrets and the two make a connection and become friends. Paper Man is mainly a story about relationships and getting to understand yourself. It has its comedic elements, but I would not call it a comedy as it has quite a lot of drama as well.

This movie feels, just like the village it is set in, small and intimate. You can feel the tension between the character and I really wanted to know how it would end. There was one twist which I already saw coming before it happened, but this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the movie.
The acting is great and Emma Stone impressed me again. She definitely has the potential to become one of Hollywood’s big stars.

If you are looking for a small, personal movie with interesting characters than Paper Man is an excellent choice.

Score: 7