MOVIE: PAPER HEART

Starring indie darlings du jour Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi (the one and only girl in the Knocked Up stoner gang) this documentary story is a charming slice of Americana a la mode. It’s the Americana that beguiles and fills you up however – the sickly sweet, icecream garnish (the movie’s ostensible premise: can Charlene find true love?) is a little too contrived. Because of course she does, in the form of gawky, lovely Michael, and of course strife and subtle bitter notes are introduced in the form of intrusive director Nick Jasenovac, and Charlene’s own hesitancy to fully swallow all that love entails (the, “Julia Roberts/English Patient/sobbing-in-the-rain-stuff”). It’s a seams-and-all affair however – the director/friend Nick encourages the happy couple to hold hands while walking down a beach, and forces a trip to the city of love, Paris. This is an overtly 50% documentary, 50% pre-planned drama. So you don’t feel ripped off by the romantic storyline, but neither do you feel reeled in. What does catch on are the real-life tales of Elvis wedding chapel owners, now-greying childhood sweethearts, young hoods who love Chris Brown and bikies in a bar espousing friendship as the truest form of love. Perhaps this premise borders on paper-thin; but it is full of heart. (AB)