PAPER HEART
US, 2009, 88 minutes, Colour.
Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake M. Johnson, Seth Rogan, Dimitri Martin, Luciano Yi, Lydia Yi.
Directed by Nicholas Jasenovec.
Paper Heart is a mockumentary. It is the work of Charlyne Yi, a stand-up comic – who may have limited appeal. She is a young American of Chinese-Italian? background, prone to giggles as well as making stand-up comic jokes. She decides that she doesn’t know anything about love and will interview a range of people on the topic.
The success of the film depends on Charlyne Yi’s charm, her ability with interviews, any insights into love and relationships. They are slight, much as would be expected from the various people interviewed. She herself feels that she cannot love and cannot be loved.
The director, played by actor Jake M. Johnson, introduces her to his friend, actor Michael Cera. Michael Cera has a particular screen personality (Juno, Superbad, Year One, Youth in Revolt). He is much the same in this fictional real life as he is on screen in most of his films. He is wary of the relationship though goes along with meeting and dating Charlyne. Eventually he feels the camera is too intrusive and he goes back home to Toronto.
The director wants to build a climax with everybody going to Paris, an atmosphere of romance. Michael Cera doesn’t go. Charlyne finds herself rather desolate in Paris and decides to return home and visit Toronto.
The interviewees, who range all over the United States, the film being a road film to various states, offer more interesting comments than Charlyne Yi does. Seth Rogan and Dimitri Martin, comedians, also offer their few cents worth.
A hit-and-miss mockumentary.
1. A fictional film, documentary, humour, themes?
2. Charlyne Yi and her personality, as a comic, her family, their reactions to her work, talking about her? The director (played by an actor) and his interest in her, making the documentary, setting up the dating with Michael Cera?
3. The range of interviews, her questions, feelings, love, sceptic? Her asking ordinary people, getting ordinary reactions? Seth Rogan and Dimitri Martin?
4. The film as a road film, going on the trip, with the director and camera operator, going around the US, the range of people, eccentrics, ordinary? Couples, broken marriages, talk about the love of their lives? Ideas and testimonies?
5. Michael Cera, the fiction, his film persona, in this film, his manner of speaking, Canadian background? Coming to the zoo, meeting Charlyne, going out to the dates, the meal, feeling the camera too intrusive, his not wanting to go to Paris, returning to Toronto? His surprise when Charlyne arrives at Toronto?
6. Charlyne and the effect of the experience on her, thinking, questioning her own attitudes, talking, thinking, disappointment?
7. The director and the Paris plan, Charlyne Yi not wanting to go, the arrival, the hotel, the failure of the enterprise?
8. The return to Toronto – and the fictional future?
