Paper Heart

Name: Paper Heart
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: August 7, 2009
Duration: 88 min
Rating: 54
Cast: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera

2009

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Mixed or average reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 43 Ratings

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5.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 43 Ratings

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Paper Heart

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Movie Details & Credits

Overture Films | Release Date: August 7, 2009 | PG-13

Starring: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera

Summary: Charlyne Yi does not believe in love. Or so she says. Well, at the very least, she doesn’t believe in fairy-tale love or the Hollywood mythology of love, and her own experiences have turned her into yet another modern-day skeptic. Paper Heart follows Charlyne as she embarks on a quest across America to make a documentary about the oneCharlyne Yi does not believe in love. Or so she says. Well, at the very least, she doesn’t believe in fairy-tale love or the Hollywood mythology of love, and her own experiences have turned her into yet another modern-day skeptic. Paper Heart follows Charlyne as she embarks on a quest across America to make a documentary about the one subject she doesn’t fully understand. As she and her good friend (and director) Nicholas search for answers and advice about love, Charlyne talks with friends and strangers, scientists, bikers, romance novelists, and children. They each offer diverse views on modern romance, as well as various answers to the age-old question: does true love really exist? Then, shortly after filming begins, Charlyne meets a boy after her own heart: Michael Cera. As their relationship develops on camera, her pursuit to discover the nature of love takes on a fresh new urgency. Charlyne risks losing the person she finds closest to her heart. Combining elements of documentary and traditional storytelling, reality and fantasy, "Paper Heart" brings a fresh perspective to the modern romance and redefines the classic love story. (Overture Films)… Expand

Director: Nicholas Jasenovec

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 88 min

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Critic Reviews

Jessica Baxter

Cera once again does his "Michael Cera thing." Personally, I love his "thing" but know it’s not for everyone, and I agree that it doesn’t always work contextually. But trust me, here it really works. Read full review

Roger Ebert

A quasi-documentary about love that is sweet, true and perhaps a little deceptive. Read full review

Betsy Sharkey

At best, they entertain in a "people say the darndest things" kind of way. But they do support the notion that people still fall in love and find a way to make it work for a lifetime, which is about as happy an ending as you could wish for. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

While Cera is adorable, Yi’s faux naiveté is overplayed and her philosophical musings are underwhelming. But you won’t soon forget the real-life couples she interviews. Read full review

Kate Taylor

This breach with the audience does matter, for it is one thing to seduce your viewers and quite another to trick them. Love is all about trust, after all. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Yi's self-regarding, ironic tone makes the whole thing feel like a setup, designed more as an indie-chic calling card than a sincere inquiry. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

A cute movie, a little too cute and a little too aware of its own cuteness. Read full review

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User Reviews

Wes

Aug 9, 2009

Um, I don't know what all the negative reviews are about, or what those reviewers thought they were going to see. The only way you couldn't love this movie is if you went in to it already deciding to hate anything sweet or sincere. I think most reviewers were already poised to Um, I don't know what all the negative reviews are about, or what those reviewers thought they were going to see. The only way you couldn't love this movie is if you went in to it already deciding to hate anything sweet or sincere. I think most reviewers were already poised to type the word twee before they walked into the theater. Who cares if it's twee, not everything has to be insincere and cynical. I didn't feel this movie crossed any line there. It's just... fun and great. The fact that it is both a doc and a romantic comedy shouldn't be points against it … Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

EmaS.

Aug 19, 2009

Pretentious movie critics probably wouldn't like a film like this, since they seem to be composed of the jaded, glass-half-full type people. This movie was probably too encouraging and endearing for them, but I can tell you when I watched Paper Heart, the crowd was enjoying its time Pretentious movie critics probably wouldn't like a film like this, since they seem to be composed of the jaded, glass-half-full type people. This movie was probably too encouraging and endearing for them, but I can tell you when I watched Paper Heart, the crowd was enjoying its time and found the movie to be delightfully humorous and insightful from all different angles at the same time. I honestly thought it was sincere, regardless of some of the set-up circumstances, which accentuated the original idea of the film, as director Jasenovec suggested it would. However, you can't walk into this film expecting it to solve your life's problems. I don't know how this film could be viewed as pretentious, as an enormous amount of opinion was given from a good variety of people. Certainly, most of it was positive and that was probably the feeling that the film production wanted to create, but that definitely wasn't out of malcontent. The idea wasn't to paint a rosy picture of what love is - at least, that's what I felt. For people like Norm G - why on earth would you pay to see a film that a) stars two actors you don't even remotely like, and b) concerns itself with a topic you couldn't care less about? By the way, how pointless of you to make a statement about how unattractive the leads are - or, to write a review which holds no insight to the readers.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BryanT

Aug 26, 2009

I really enjoyed this movie. It is very cute!!

0 of 1 users found this helpful

Misslove14xx

Mar 12, 2011

I was really looking forward to this movie, and I must say, I was disappointed. The over all choppy context and lack of keeping a story line gets old quick. I also never felt like I really was given a chance to get to know the characters, which is always a pretty big downer. Not to sayI was really looking forward to this movie, and I must say, I was disappointed. The over all choppy context and lack of keeping a story line gets old quick. I also never felt like I really was given a chance to get to know the characters, which is always a pretty big downer. Not to say there aren't any cute, funny,genuinely good moments, but that's just the problem:they're only moments, and they're pretty out of place. A lot of the movie also relies on the quirkiness of the two leads, a lot of times it was like, "Well, this scene is getting dull, let's just get a laugh at how awkward Micheal Cera is." It might not be a waste of time to see this movie, but it was a let down for me.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

The3AcademySins

Nov 25, 2019

If I am being polite, Paper Heart is sickly sweet. If I am being honest, Paper Heart is borderline insufferable. There is no element of truth, honesty, beauty, reality, or love present in this self indulgent mess. The documentary could not appear more fake or staged even if the intervieweesIf I am being polite, Paper Heart is sickly sweet. If I am being honest, Paper Heart is borderline insufferable. There is no element of truth, honesty, beauty, reality, or love present in this self indulgent mess. The documentary could not appear more fake or staged even if the interviewees were walking around with scripts in their hands. The story of the romance between Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera is the most cliche and contrived plot I have ever seen. The ending is literally a cop-out, and the cop-out is not clever, ingenious, or self-aware in any way. I found myself wanting to strangle every single character from the moment they walked on screen. Charlyne Yi's "I could never fall in love" BS is so incredibly false and basic that it undermines nearly the entire film. This movie is only 88 minutes, but it is so horribly paced that it feels like a three hour drama. There is some pretty inventive cinematography, the transitions between scenes and locations are really well done, and the diorama based skits are pretty original. That's about all the good that's in this movie. Not worth your time.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

NormG

Aug 9, 2009

I hated just about every minute of Paper Heart. The two leads are so unattractive and annoying I had to fight the urge to flee the cinema. This is a faux-reality-documentary about, I guess, a journey find out what love is. I cared even less about this so-called mission. What piece of garbage.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Aaron

Sep 8, 2009

I went into the movie a fairly big fan of Charlyne Yi, but by the end I truthfully wanted to kill myself. This movie is incredibly pretentious, and I totally agree with the reviewer who said that this movie is too aware of its own cuteness. The movie drags on what feels like an hour too I went into the movie a fairly big fan of Charlyne Yi, but by the end I truthfully wanted to kill myself. This movie is incredibly pretentious, and I totally agree with the reviewer who said that this movie is too aware of its own cuteness. The movie drags on what feels like an hour too long, which is distressing, considering it's only an hour and a half. I'm okay with movies posing questions but not fully answering them and having the audience reflect on the situations given them, but this movie really had nothing to present. It was mindless, pointless, and I'm utterly depressed I will never get my time back again!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

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