Take two sci-fi geeks...add a kidnapped fundamentalist...and oh yeah...throw in an alien with a host of feds in hot pursuit, and the stage is set for Paul. Don't let the cute Pixar-esque CG alien fool you. This one is an adult swim all the way, and if you bring your noodle and sunscreen you'll have hearty time!
Paul (Seth Rogan) is our alien. He landed on our fare planet several decades ago. He's been carrying his weight ever since--he's helped NASA out on several occasions and even contributed greatly to Steven Spielberg's ET. Now the government is running out of uses for him, so they're considering the possibility of opening up that green head of his to see what makes him tick. That's a proposition that ole Paul is not too keen on so off he goes...into the wild brown vast land of the desert. That's where Paul meets up with Graeme and Clive (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost). They're a couple of Brit comic book geeks who are traveling from sci-fi show to sci-fi show across our fair land. They were hoping to catch a glimpse of Area 51, but alas, they caught a lot more. They caught the live version instead. Along the way, they pick up Ruth (Kristen Wiig), a devout fundamentalist who Paul promptly shows the light. Yadayadayada the foursome then set out to help Paul rendezvous with his homeys and get back to his own universe while being pursued by the sinister US Government headed by, appropriately enough Sigourney Weaver and Jason Bateman.
It's great. I'll go with 4.0 Stars. There is some very funny stuff here. Paul provides a unique storyline and a brand of off-beat humor that will make you forget about phoning home for at least an hour and 44 minutes. Sexual humor, irreverence, a plot twist and even a cameo from Jane Lynch make this one to see. Simon Pegg, best known to US viewers as Scotty in the most recent Star Trek flick and Reepicheep in the Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, held up his half of the British dynamic duo. Nick Frost, who I loved in Pirate Radio, did the same with the other half. Then, there's Seth Rogan. What is left to say about this guy other than CHA-CHING! He brings the voice of Paul to life in a way that creates an instantly lovable extra-terrestrial personality. He's a combination of Yoda and ET with a little Uncle Festus thrown in for good measure. Plus, Kristen Wiig, who has been on her own roll of late, continued that surge with this role. She's hilarious--playing the enlightened soon-to-be former fundamentalist with all kinds of funny. Ruth is just learning to cuss while learning about sex and a whole host of previously forbidden fruit. Wiig brought hilarity that rounded out the core four very nicely.
It may be too late to see this one BIG, but see it when you get a chance. It's estimated to be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in August. Add it to the queue and enjoy!
True...OUT!
