Grade: B+ Scene Says: Picture “E.T.” but funny and British
British comedic super duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have crossed the pond to join with American actor Seth Rogen, creating a combination that just can’t lose.
Simon and Nick play two geeky guys that come across an alien oddly named Paul — voiced by Rogen — completely by chance.
Despite the writers and lead actors being British, the movie takes place in America — the only country where aliens seem to land. Despite the setting, they stay true to their British wit throughout the movie.
Rogen’s character works into the writers’ humor naturally, bringing in lewd jokes that America relies on in its comedies. The British and American humor in “Paul” work seamlessly together to create a film that will keep you laughing. They create jokes that build throughout the movie, and you will be cracking up before they even utter the punchline. The movie takes some obvious shots at Americans of the hyper-religious variety, and we have British writers to thank for that.
The R-rated comedy may hit some tender spots, including a couple scenes that can make an animal lover cringe, but they pale in comparison to the hilarious but raunchy jokes. Unlike other comedies, though, “Paul” is not reliant on the crude jokes, but instead weaves them into slapstick humor and jokes with nerd appeal.
Luckily, the British duo also managed to save “Paul” from joining the myriad of parody movies that are still somehow coming out.
This could have easily become “Alien Movie” and joined the parody graveyard right next to “Epic Movie” and “Meet the Spartans.” Instead, “Paul” makes use of all the popular alien stereotypes in a new way by paying homage to the sci-fi movies that came before in such a way that any true geek will appreciate.
The main plotlines are altogether typical, but the writers blatantly call that out in the film and turn it into another joke that any frequent movie watcher can appreciate. Anyone can watch “Paul” and find it funny, but the true audience for this movie are the geeks who will appreciate the countless references to the sci-fi classics like “E.T.”
And perhaps what’s most important of all is a surprising sci-fi staple who appears at the end of the film that had the entire theatre clapping at the cameo — but you’ll have to find out just who that person is for yourself.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
