Paul (2011)
★★★ — Paul (2011)
Paul was written by Pegg and Frost themselves, the pair having previously collaborated on the screenplay for Hot Fuzz (2007) as the second entry in Edgar Wright's Cornetto trilogy. Wright does not direct here, however, with Greg Mottola taking the chair instead, coming off the back of Superbad (2007) and Adventureland (2009). The film was produced by Working Title Films alongside Big Talk Productions (the company behind much of the Cornetto series), with Relativity Media distributing in the States on a $40 million budget. Much of it was shot on location across the American Southwest, including New Mexico and Nevada, giving the road-trip comedy a genuine sense of the alien-obsessed Americana that Pegg and Frost had long admired from afar.
Paul (2011) kicks off with a killer premise: two sci-fi obsessed British nerds (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) on a road trip across the American Southwest who meet an actual, foul-mouthed, wisecracking alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen). It’s Close Encounters meets The 40-Year-Old Virgin, packed with geeky references, buddy-comedy charm, and the signature Pegg/Frost chemistry that made Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz so beloved. There are solid laughs, especially from Paul himself, whose blasphemous quips and pop culture-savvy swagger make him feel like a stoner version of Yoda, and the supporting cast (including Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, and Sigourney Weaver) commits fully to the absurdity. The film also sneaks in some surprisingly smart satire about religion, belief, and fandom, which gives it more depth than your average stoner comedy. But for all its promise, Paul never quite reaches the highs of Edgar Wright’s classics. The humour leans too heavily on crude gags and easy stereotypes, the pacing drags in the middle, and the story follows a predictable “on the run” formula without much surprise. It’s funny, sure, but rarely brilliant. Solid as a one-off laugh fest, especially for sci-fi fans, but ultimately just an average comedy coasting on charisma and references. Good, not great. A fun ride, but not one you’ll quote for years.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 2011 | Watched: 2025-10-06
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