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With: Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Ciara Renée, Stephen Root, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Lucy Freyer, Lusia Strus, Michael Pemberton, Denny Dillon, Evander Duck Jr., Will Blagrove, Ryan Czerwonko
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Written by: Brit McAdams
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Directed by: Brit McAdams
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual/suggestive material, drug use and smoking
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Running Time: 96
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Date: 04/07/2023
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Palette Cleanser
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
Owen Wilson does not play Bob Ross in Paint (as was my initial assumption). Instead he plays the Bob Ross-like Carl Nargle, who, for 22 years, has painted a pretty landscape picture every day for one hour on PBS. He has a huge afro, a curved pipe dangles out of his mouth, and he talks soothingly about the wonders of nature. (The laid-back Wilson is perfect for this role.) He's a big celebrity in a little pond, and the women who work at the station are smitten with him, sometimes offering sexual (or otherwise) favors in exchange for his latest work. His ex, station assistant Katherine (Michaela Watkins), has worked alongside him for decades, watching as all the other women throw themselves at him. His one unfulfilled dream is to have one of his paintings hanging in the local museum. Everything changes when station chief Tony (Stephen Root) brings on the younger, more talented Ambrosia (Ciara Renée) to take the time slot right after Carl's. (Her first painting is a UFO dumping a stream of blood onto a tree stump.) Of course, she is the catalyst who helps Carl get out of his rut. Paint is a strange movie, too low-key to be a satire, but then again, why would anyone want to satirize the much-loved Ross? It also feels slightly tone-deaf, as we are asked to root for a privileged male whose ego has been bruised. But even if the movie is lacking some kind of spark, what remains isn't too bad. The entire cast is fine, and, despite his out-of-touch quality — or maybe because of it — Wilson's Carl is pretty likable, and, yes, soothing.
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