It’s Friday! Another week done and dusted. And to end the week, I wanted something fun and lighthearted to close it out. The trailer for Good on Paper made me laugh, so I hit play. Man was that trailer misleading.
To be fair, it’s not that this movie isn’t funny. It’s written by star Iliza Shlesinger, so you know you’re in for some razor sharp comedy. But it is definitely not the laugh a minute film I was expecting. In fact, this movie gets pretty dark at times, particularly near the end. This is a comedy that actually shows the repercussions of the absurdist shenanigans that often play out in these types of films, which was actually a refreshing narrative twist. But again, not the laugh riot I was expecting.
Instead, Good on Paper is a fascinating look at a manipulative relationship, and how it’s often so easy to see the warning signs from the outside, but near impossible when it’s your own emotions at stake. Yes there were laughs, but they were interspersed throughout a story that became more and more unsettling as the movie continued. Knowing that this script is semi-autobiographical on Shlesinger’s part only made it more so.
So was this a good movie? Absolutely. Is it one I’d recommend on a Friday night when you just want some mindless entertainment? Absolutely not.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
