Amor de cuento

I heard Iliza Shlesinger on The Joe Rogan Experience recently promoting this movie. She talked about the real-life events that led to the movie being written. I remember after she told the story thinking, that's an interesting story but how is it enough to justify making a movie out of? It sounds like the plot of the very laziest Lifetime movie. Sure enough that's pretty much how the film comes across.

I may be mistaken but I don't remember seeing a movie inter-spliced with stand-up comedy before. I've certainly seen it in sit-coms like 'Seinfeld' and 'Louie', and it works reasonably well there, but to do it in a movie seems strange. Particularly considering none of the stand-up is in any way funny. Surely if you're going to do that you want to be putting your best stuff out there, right? And I think that's the biggest crime this movie commits - it's written by a comedian, and is still never once funny.

It's not all terrible though. I found Shlesinger and Ryan Hansen watchable enough in the leads, and some of the side characters have the odd moment of interest. There's the odd intriguing scene too, like the one set on a golf course (although that could just be down to me liking golf). 'Good on Paper' was a film that I should've hated immensely, but instead sat there only mildly bored for 90 minutes. I can't put my finger on what that was down to exactly. This isn't one I'd recommend all the same. 5/10.

I wanted to like this movie but it was a rough watch. The jokes felt a bit lazy, the scenes too exaggerated, and the ending felt unrealistic and as though it was simply trying too hard.

I can understand the confusing reviews probably come from a mindset of expectation from the movie, considering Iliza was in it.

Although many including myself may have looked forward to a goofy, lighthearted laugh, I have to say the story had an abstract depth to it from a psychological point of view. In some ways it touched on some serious issues some of us deal with in relationships, not realizing the overtness in agendas of partners in them. In some ways also, the elephant in the room was addressed. Full marks for that.

That said, I'm not sure if the director even realized the power of the script. I felt as a movie, this was all over the place because it touched on so many different societal issues.

Maybe the focus could have been on narcissism and how to deal with the trauma it brings to those who don't realize it. Maybe this could have just been one of Iliza's (love her to bits) stand up episodes, I don't know.

Watch it if you're able to switch your expectations. It's a good one with a very important message. Don't watch it if you're expecting tears from guffaws.

This is a strange one. I liked it though.

I'm certainty glad I didn't check ratings here before watching this movie... because at the current 5.6 rating, we wouldn't have watch it.

This movie is entertaining! Comedy and some drama mixed in, with a dose of strong women, and an engaging storyline. Really enjoyed it and would watch again. A great Saturday night movie...for after the kids go to bed.

Expectations can severely alter your perception. Over hyping something can easily put it on a pedestal which will inevitably result in disappointment. But the opposite can be true as well. At first glance, Good on Paper looks like such painful, straight to Netflix rom-com trash that I had been dreading throwing it on. But I'm a fan of Iliza Shlesinger's stand-up work, and was curious to see her film debut. I kept waiting all movie for it to take a sharp turn towards shmaltzy sentimentality, but as it became clear that it wasn't going down that road, it had me rooting in it's corner! By the same token, if I was expecting knee slapping hilarity, it may have been a bit of a let down, as it doesn't really succeed at bringing the frantic energy of Iliza's live shows to the big screen. What you get is a rather amusing story which basically did happen to the comedian in real life, and a light easy watch that doesn't get bogged down by tired genre clichés.