just watch it!

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Never heard of this film, and here in 2018 I came across it on a streaming service. I decided to give it a watch because of the cast - some of my favorites including Jeff Daniels, Ryan Reynolds and Lisa Kudrow. Emma Stone is quite special in her role as a young lady with so many cares in this world. Jeff Daniels is at his very disarming best, I think. I laughed out loud many a time, mostly with Captain Excellent (oh Ryan, you have such great comic timing). If you've ever felt a bit lost in life and wondered what now, I think you'll find kindred spirits in this lovely film.

Some reviews seem to have pegged this as a mere indie romp, the quirky, gushy type that hasn't felt novel since the mid-00s. That tag doesn't quite do Paper Man justice. Sure, the surface style is a bit derivative. We've seen older men forging an inappropriate relationship with a high school girl before (Juno, American Beauty), and we've seen plenty of cutesy indie films about 20-something would-be-artistes struggling to grow up and get a real job (Flakes, for one). But this movie is quite a bit more deranged than all that. These characters aren't merely eccentric, their idiosyncrasies hover well past the line into downright pathology.First we have our protagonist. Not a disillusioned 20-something hipster, he's a man well into middle age who has no real job, no social skills and still clings to a (sometimes abusive) imaginary friend. Somehow this man with no prospects and no skills is married to a successful surgeon who isolates her maladjusted, delusional, slacker husband up in a rural cabin believing that -- somehow -- leaving him to his own devices and letting him run amok in solitude will help to repair his crippling mental state. Finally we come to Abby, a teenage girl so desperate for companionship that she tolerates a neglectful slob of a boyfriend, a deranged, obsessive stalker who follows her wherever she goes, and a middle-aged married man who lures her to his empty house under the guise of a babysitting job. Her response to being set-up by this pervert? She makes him soup. If her parents exist, they don't much concern themselves with her, and she has no other acquaintances.This is an intriguing character study with some decent heart to be found. It's fascinating to explore these broken individuals and the movie's definitely worth a watch. Unfortunately, the courage with which these characters were created is not matched by the movie's highly formulaic ending, which largely glosses over their more serious instabilities. However, with so many otherwise solid indie projects these days ending abruptly with far too little closure (Not Fade Away, Palo Alto), I'm willing to accept a little undue schmaltz from Paper Man. The cast also garners mentioning. With Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Lisa Kudrow and Jeff Daniels, they couldn't have put together a better ensemble for this film. The performances are entertaining enough just on their own merits.

I found this film on DVD and bought in only because Jeff Daniels was in it. Hadn't even heard of it before. It's a different type of story for sure, and that's why I like it. Somewhat quirky. I got a big laugh out of Jeff Daniels character suggesting he could host a party for his teenage friend and her friends. Nothing like a mid life crisis to get you back in the party - or not. I'm not to sure about him having the imaginary friend though. You would usually be over that by his age. However, i was fooled by the girl's imaginary friend. The way it is played out it is not until later in the movie you realize he doesn't even exist except for in her mind. All in all, I really enjoyed this film.

Truly this is a example if you ever needed one as to why independent film is vital. The performances are all understated, real, mature and ultimately more than the sum of their parts. The cinematography and overall direction match the performances as do the locations sedate the film is never slow. The script is clever and the premise simple - tell a story beautifully and with feeling without a trace of saccharin or condescension. The soundtrack compliments the stark beauty of the locations in a synergistic way without resorting to muzak.I could and probably should write more but my advice is watch this and enjoy a piece of cinematic joy. Well done all involved.