Paint is the story of a soft spoken host of a painting show on Vermont public television. He has a loyal fan base that includes the women of the station. When a new painter is hired to revitalize the channel, he is forced to confront his past and talent.
While the Bob Ross inspiration is obvious, the film has its own story to tell. Carl Nargle (Owen Wilson) is stuck in the past. He eschews modern technology, drives a van, and communicates via CB. This is a constant source of humor in Paint and the writing keeps the comedy fresh with jokes about call waiting and faxes. The script is also not afraid to get silly. Carl’s trademark perm is a source for easy laughs and Paint even has jokes about sex and drugs. The movie is constantly giving audiences something to laugh at.
The actual story is where the movie struggles. Carl’s poor treatment of women is a running theme. When he is finally confronted, it is a brief scene that means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Even stranger, is the love triangle that is more important in theory than practice.
Paint does an excellent job dealing with past regrets and the inability to move forward. This issue is not just limited to Carl as most of the characters are still hanging on to something. Some things are wackier than others (one person is called ‘Juicy’ by some kids at church), but it is nice to see so much attention given.
Carl is dealing with a few issues, but arguably the biggest is a past love. When Ambrosia (Ciara Renee, Arrow) is introduced as his rival, it seems clear what direction everything is headed. And for a good while, things go exactly as expected. However, things move so quickly, that it is hard to get invested in this aspect of Paint. Add in the fact that Ambrosia is surprisingly underdeveloped, and it amounts to a plotline that is meant to be the main draw, but never really feels that important.
Still, Paint builds up so much goodwill it will remain be an enjoyable watch. Wilson is fantastic as the out of touch painter and the supporting cast do a great job of. The movie is filled with genuinely funny moments and as long as you are willing to look past some sketchy writing, it tells a cute story.
Paint opens exclusively in theaters nationwide April 7
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