Film Review: PAINT (2023): Owen Wilson is OK as an Artist Who Has Seen Better Days in a Comedy with Few Laughs

Paint Review

Paint (2023) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Brit McAdams and starring Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Ciara Renee, Lucy Freyer, Stephen Root, Elisabeth Henry, Paul Kosopod, Sonia Darmei Lopes, Ryan Czerwonko, Aidan T.K. Baker, Lusia Strus, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rob Figueroa, Michael Pemberton, Vin Craig, Evander Duck Jr., Joel Leffert and Elizabeth Loyacano.

Brit McAdams creates a juicy leading role for Owen Wilson in the film, Paint, which works as something of a goofy character study though the movie is light on big laughs. It succeeds when it deals with the realities of securing employment as an aging artist but fails to bring much steamy romance to the table in the love story it portrays. Still,  Wilson carries the movie through the lulls and makes it moderately watchable for people who are fans of Wilson.

Wilson stars in the picture as Carl Nargle– a famous painter in Vermont with a big showy sort of hairstyle. His large hair gets caught in his vehicle as he tries to have sex with a woman early in the movie. Nargle is a known artist and a public television personality. He has a way with women and has had a couple of different ladies in his life throughout the years. In a funny bit, Jenna (the energetic Lucy Freyer), an intern, talks about how “Dancing with the Stars” is her favorite show which is ironic since that show features many has-beens looking to cash in on their former talents. Carl, too, is a has-been whose star is slowly fading. He uses tobacco products on his program which will ultimately lead to his downfall.

The always reliable Stephen Root is Tony who keeps Carl employed at the television station for the time being but Carl’s days there are numbered. Ambrosia (an effective Ciara Renee) is moving in on Carl’s turf. Ambrosia is young, brilliant and she has a knack for garnering the attention of established viewers of the painting show she ends up hosting alongside Carl. Ambrosia also makes moves on the woman Carl loves the most in his life– Katherine (Michaela Watkins). Katherine has feelings for Carl but Ambrosia is a woman full of personality who may have the power to win over Katherine for herself.

Early in the movie, a fan (Vin Craig) recognizes Carl in his vehicle on the road. Carl is friendly enough and has his fans but the problem is that he’s lost the edge he once possessed in both his work and his life. He’s older now and although he may be wiser–he’s certainly seen better days.

Ambrosia eventually takes over Carl’s job at the television station. Tony gets Carl a few thousand more to work as a college professor but Carl must give up doing the painting show in return. On his first day of teaching, a kid in his class asks Carl if Ambrosia will be stopping by the college. The only way for Carl to be relevant anymore is to basically die.

Owen Wilson does a good job portraying Carl as a sensitive character but he’s self-obsessed in the early stages of the movie and some viewers may think he deserves to struggle a bit for the way he’s treated the women in his life. Carl’s hair gets a lot of attention within the movie and there are cute touches regarding his relationship with Katherine which gets more complicated as the film goes on.

Michaela Watkins is intriguing as Katherine. This character doesn’t have a college degree but wants to work in a high-profile position. Katherine is relatable as she questions her sexuality and has to choose who she wants to be with and if Carl is still even an option for her.

Paint gets the public broadcasting channel down pat. With telethons that hardly raise any money, there are a lot of scenes which will hit home for anyone who has ever watched such programming. Paint becomes so downbeat at times in the middle that the viewer can forget it’s trying to be a comedy, though. If it weren’t for Wilson’s charismatic personality, the movie would tank. Luckily, Wilson holds it together for the film’s brief running time which is just over 90 minutes.

Brit McAdams directed Paint and also wrote it. This could have been a really good movie if it wasn’t so concerned with being funny. If it played more as a drama, it could have been better. That hairstyle Wilson wears, however, would never work in a dramatic picture so the filmmakers would have had to go back to the drawing board to make the movie a wholly successful serious effort.

Still, Paint does offer some interesting scenarios. What happens to an artist later in life when he’s past his prime? What can that artist do to remain relevant, if anything? Those two questions get answered here but the food for thought the movie offers would have been better suited to a movie which had a bit more of a rough edge about it. This film is ultimately too cutesy for its own good.

Rating: 5.5/10

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