good back-story, and good acting

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This movie is very much like Charlene Yi. It pretends to be something it's not, and doesn't quite succeed enough on any level. Is it a documentary? No. Is it a scripted movie? Much more so than it pretends not to be.By blending predictable, scripted and entirely acted romantic comedy elements in with what "appears" to be more standard documentary-style interviews, the viewer is left to wonder if anything they are seeing is real, and once that foundation of belief is cracked, the entire movie loses legitimacy. It's not good enough to be a documentary; it's not good enough to be a romantic comedy. Two negatives do not equal a positive.The movie borders on a saccharine-styled Blair Witch Project with better production values. Li further carries this deception into the real world, denying that she's dating Michael Cera, but then noting in other places that their relationship ended in 2009, conveniently as the movie is released. She also tried to create fiction around her age, pretending to be ten years or more older than Cera, even though she looks she could sit in a high school geometry class. This leaves us to wonder, Why? The deception adds nothing to the movie plot, it's not a cutting-edge move, it's really nothing more than an annoyance.From the acting side, Li's cutesy nerd style plays well at the start, but wears thin as the movie progresses. Cera is normally a solid actor, but interesting his scenes are the ones where it's most obvious the movie has drifted from faux documentary to a clearly acted and scripted production. It's a bit unsettling.It's not unwatchable, there's even one or two points where it's almost charming, but many viewers are going to walk away feeling a bit flat, and a bit played.You don't need to dive to find the remote to turn this movie off it it happens to show up for free on your TV. Yet you're not missing anything if you make it through your earthly existence without seeing Paper Heart. It's mildly entertaining, but just as easily could have been produced by a second-year NYU film student.

First of all, Charlyne Yi is not good in front of the camera and I was less than impressed by her interview skills. When there was an interview, that is. There definitely weren't enough interviews and when they did occur they didn't seem to be all that organized or in depth or intelligent. I felt like Yi never knew what to say. She doesn't seem like a personable person so that may be why.One thing I did think was a good idea was that Yi interviewed many different people about their perspectives on love. She interviewed elderly couples that have been together since their teen years, a children book author, children, and even bikers at a bar. The one thing I was disappointed in was that she interviewed scientists on the chemical reaction of love, which was an impressive idea, had she done it right. The scientists did not have a big enough part in this. They barely spoke on the subject at all. The most fascinating part of the film was cut short.I am a Michael Cera fan but after he showed up in the film, it took an entirely different turn. Paper Heart then focused on the relationship between Cera and Yi, which, may or may not have been staged. Paper Heart reminds me of a reality show. Its "reality" but not really…The idea was great and this could have been a great film had it been done right and definitely by a different interviewer.

Paper Heart is one of the sweetest movies I have ever seen. This spawns from mostly from the documentary sequences of Yi interviewing random people about love, with the highlights of the story told by cutout puppets. ALso in the movie is a scripted plot between the filmmaker and Michael Cera (Both portraying themselves). The film benifits from their on screen chemistry and overall likability as a couple. The movie follows the highs and lows of their relationship throughout the filming.I loved Paper Heart when I saw it, but it is a fairly typical Indie movie. It is not overwhelmingly thought provoking, but rather a sweet feel good movie.8/10

Charlyne Yi, star of the faux-documentary, PAPER HEART, takes a most controversial stand on The Cosmology of Love. Not only has she never been in love, but she doesn't feel that it will ever happen to her because True Love might not even exist. And, after a random series of interviews and events, she creates a very strong defense for her position. While watching the film you are constrained to consider how silly and weak are the reasons and justifications that most people seem to have for their 'True Love'. The folks that were interviewed didn't seem to have any more valid cause to believe in 'True Love' than a six year old has a factual basis for a belief in Santa Clause. They all seemed to describe a 'wondrous experience', but I couldn't help thinking that it could also be seen as a 'delightful delusion'. PAPER HEART seems to demonstrate that most of what we suppose is 'True Love' is nothing more than heartfelt wishes which change into conviction over time. As one partner related how she first became aware of her love for her husband, I thought it was most revealing to watch closely the expression on her partner's face as her tale unfolded. Throughout most of the exchange, his expression seemed disconcerting at best. PAPER HEART is a small, light, and engaging film, and Charlyne Yi has more than enough charm to pull off the premise, but after the film ended, it left me with the feeling that maybe Arranged Marriages were not such a bad idea. And, maybe she does too.