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Paint may have its heart in the right place, but it’s difficult to discern exactly what writer-director Brit McAdams intended with the film. It has something to say about the media’s treatment of someone based on their age and profitability, being replaced by someone younger, and how going through the motions is ultimately detrimental to the creativity of a painter. Unfortunately, Paint is tonally inconsistent, neither sweet nor funny, and lacking direction. It’s less of an homage to Bob Ross than it is a mess of a film that struggles to find its footing despite a stellar cast.
Paint follows Carl Nargle (Owen Wilson), an acclaimed painter who has had his own show on PBS for decades. With a pipe in hand and a very chill vibe, which can come across as cavalier to some, Carl paints from scratch every episode. After decades of being on-air, Carl is replaced by Ambrosia (Ciara Renée), a young woman who the network hopes will bring a fresh perspective and bolster falling viewership. Carl must contend with the downfall of his career, reconcile with his ex-girlfriend Katherine (Michaela Watkins), who is also a producer on his show, and figure out what comes next after so long being comfortable.
On paper, Paint seems charming, and there is indeed an endearing quality about the film, but that doesn’t translate so well onscreen. It’s tonally unsure, and it’s difficult to gauge what exactly the film is trying to be. In some moments it plays out like a rom-com, and in others it is a dramedy dealing with an artist’s fading significance and sense of self. The film is all over the place in terms of its story and rarely do the comedic beats land.
One can tell the film is aiming for charisma, but it falls short and ends up being cringeworthy or bizarre — sometimes both. The heartwarming moments Paint builds towards aren’t earned; it’s a soulless endeavor that is lacking on nearly every front. The film’s off-kilter humor would have worked better had McAdams leaned into it fully. As is, Paint comes across as half-baked — a good idea lost amidst the chaos. Considering the emulation of Bob Ross, the film doesn’t work as an homage or a parody about male privilege in the art world.
The cast is watchable, but they’re not given much to work with. Owen Wilson is charming as Carl, whose own self-importance blinds him to what’s important. The actor toes the line between comedic nonchalance and earnestness without going too far in either direction. Still, in a film that seems confused about its own identity, it might have been worthwhile for Wilson to lean further into the absurdity, as McAdams should’ve done. Watkins steals the show as Katherine, who also wants to move on but is tied to the local Vermont station because of her unresolved feelings for Carl. Watkins is emotionally open, with great comedic timing, and her scenes with Wilson are some of the more tolerable to watch. Renée isn’t given as much, but she conveys Ambrosia’s trepidation and genuineness as she enters a workforce that isn’t exactly stable.
Paint could’ve been funny; it could’ve had more heart; it could have even been more fun and ridiculous, with something interesting to say. But it’s a mess from start to finish. The humor doesn’t work, and the material is too timid and hollow to truly soar. To be sure, the film has a message, but it’s jumbled, its story a web that can’t be untangled enough to offer something worthwhile. The film is strange, but it’s not in a good way. Any potential it had to be a decent, entertaining, or even a thoughtful watch is lost.
Paint is now playing in theaters. The film is 96 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for sexual/suggestive material, drug use and smoking.
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