Paper Heart is an extraordinary tale that starts off as a make believe documentrary but then hits a few unexpected bumps along the way. The documentary abruptly starts with the main star, Charlyne Yi standing in a crowded street with a microphone in her hand asking random passer-by’s about their views and beliefs on the subject of love. As everything is being recorded by Charlyne’s camera and audio crew, each stranger gives their own insight on love and shares a story from their past experiences with Charlyne. All Charlyne wants to know is, will she ever find true love?
The unique thing about Paper Heart is that every actor excluding one, plays themselves in the film. Michael Cera is Michael Cera, Charlyne Yi is Charlyne Yi, but the character of Nicholas Jasenovec is played by actor Jake M. Johnson. Nicholas Jasenovev is the actual director of the film Paper Heart, but in the film he has Jake M. Johnson portray himself.
Charlyne makes it clear in the beginning of the film that she has never been in love and that she’s not quite sure the actual feeling exists, despite what her interviewee’s tell her as she interviews them in her documentary. Charlyne embarks on a quest across the United States and gathers material concerning love from complete strangers. One of these locations include Los Angeles, CA where she meets a boy her age by the name of Michael Cera. She converses with Michael at a local party and tries to ask him a few questions about love, but Michael is to shy to answer. Despite Michael’s anxiety towards the subject of love, he immediately becomes fascinated with what Charlyne and her camera crew is doing. It just so happens that Michael knows Nicholas Jasenovec, the director of this documentary. Michael meets up with Nicholas when the camera’s stop rollling for the evening and they have a discussion about Charlyne. Eventually Michael becomes apart of Charlyne’s life in such a way that Nicholas Jasenovec feels the need to incorporate Michael into the documentary that they are making.
As Michael and Charlyne start to date, Nicholas Jasenovec and his crew is right by their side making sure that they capture every moment of their strange and fortuitous relationship. Eventually Michael grows tired of all the cameras and microphones always being around him and Charlyne. All Michael and Charlyne want is some privacy of their own but Nicholas and his camera crew never seem to allow it. How will the behavior of Nicholas Jasenovec and his crew affect Michael and Charlyne’s relationship and most importantly how will it affect Nicholas and Charlyne’s documentary?
*Note to reader* Paper Heart is a limited release film that might be difficult to find in your area. I had to travel to Kendall Square in Boston to see this movie. It’s a great and deeply affecting flick that i encourage you to see. If your unable to see it while it’s in theaters, because of its limited release, make sure you check it out when it’s available on DVD. To all my readers who enjoy my reviews, thanks.
Paper Heart has recieved 5 stars out of 5 stars.
1 star= Bad Movie
2 stars= Needs Improvement
3 stars= Good Movie
4 stars= Very Good Movie
5 stars= Superior Film
