Paul as Paul
There’s nothing much cuter than a cute alien. If you’ve ever wondered what the result might be if you crossed E.T. with one of the Village People, Paul might be your answer. The fact is, ever since “The X-Files” cluttered the air waves (or cable waves?) with spooky theme music and soot grey Vancouver skies, aliens, whether on big screen or small, or in your back yard, haven’t been nearly as funny and cute as they ought to be. “Paul” is set to reverse this trend.
The first trailer I saw for this picture was the red band version, and it was significantly funnier. The green band iteration, complete with obvious dubbings and snippings of the naughty bits, will give you an idea. The movie, perhaps in the same vein as “The Hangover,” or “Talladega Nights,” threatens to be a one-joke sketch on growth hormones. We’ll see if the scripters were able to write their way out of the corner.
It looks as though Jason Bateman has turned in another clever, deadpan performance, and Seth Rogan provides the voice of the lead alien, Paul. Paul’s posse is played by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and the supporting players include Kristen Wiig, Sigourney Weaver (is it just me, or do her parts keep getting smaller and smaller?), Jeffrey Tambor, Jane Lynch (who is quickly becoming everyone’s favorite lesbian, after Ellen) and Al Gore. Okay, I lied about Al Gore, but not about everyone else.
