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Paul (2011 film)

From Alfawiki
Paul
Company typeFilm
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedFebruary 14, 2011; 15 years ago (2011-02-14)
Headquarters
United Kingdom / France / United States
ProductsScience fiction comedy film
ParentWorking Title Films, StudioCanal, Big Talk Pictures, Relativity Media

Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy road film helmed by director Greg Mottola, with a screenplay crafted by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Featuring Pegg and Frost in leading roles, the film also includes the voice and motion capture performance of Seth Rogen as the titular extraterrestrial. The story centers on two devoted sci-fi fans who come across an alien and assist him in eluding Secret Service agents so he can return to his home world. The movie satirizes various science fiction movies, notably those directed by Steven Spielberg, as well as the culture surrounding sci-fi enthusiasts.

This British-French-American collaboration was produced by Working Title Films, StudioCanal, Big Talk Pictures, and Relativity Media, with distribution handled by Universal Pictures. It premiered on 14 February 2011 in the United Kingdom and later on 18 March 2011 in the United States. Garnering generally favorable critiques, the film earned $98 million globally against a production budget of $40 million.

Plot

Graeme Willy and Clive Gollings, two close friends from Britain who are passionate about comic books and science fiction, embark on a trip to the United States to attend the annual San Diego Comic-Con. Clive is authoring a sci-fi novel while Graeme provides illustrations. Their journey also includes a road trip across the American Southwest to explore various UFO-related locations along a secluded desert highway.

After an encounter with hostile rednecks exhibiting homophobic behavior, the duo accidentally collides with their truck and shortly afterward witnesses a car accident. The occupant, revealed to be Paul—an alien—elicits Graeme’s willingness to offer him a ride despite Clive’s alarm.

Special Agent Zoil from the Secret Service arrives at the scene and communicates with his unseen superior known as "the Big Guy," who dispatches rookie agents Haggard and O’Reilly to assist. While Clive grows increasingly suspicious of a broader conspiracy, Paul explains that his government image was fabricated to avoid causing mass hysteria.

The group sets up camp at an RV park managed by Christian fundamentalists Ruth Buggs and her father Moses. When Ruth faints upon seeing Paul, they decide to bring her along. Paul encourages Ruth to reconsider her religious convictions and temporarily cures her blindness by transferring it onto himself.

At a local bar, Ruth attempts to contact her father but is intercepted by Zoil. A confrontation ensues involving rednecks until Paul intimidates them into retreating. Ruth later manages to avoid interrogation by Zoil. Meanwhile, Haggard and O’Reilly attempt to apprehend Paul despite Zoil’s explicit orders not to do so.

They visit Tara, who had rescued Paul six decades earlier after his crash had tragically killed her dog, resulting in her ostracism. Although initially resentful, she eventually forgives Paul. When government agents arrive, O’Reilly’s gunfire ignites gas that destroys Tara’s home and kills him. Haggard pursues the group but crashes off a cliff. The Big Guy orders military intervention as Zoil vows to capture Paul.

At Devils Tower National Monument, they signal Paul’s mothership using fireworks. Agents arrive on scene but Zoil reveals himself as an ally of Paul’s and shoots them before sustaining injuries himself. Tara incapacitates the Big Guy. Moses fires at Paul but accidentally hits Graeme; Paul heals Graeme despite the personal risk, prompting Moses to view him as a messianic figure.

Graeme and Ruth admit their romantic feelings for each other and share a kiss, but just then the Big Guy regains consciousness and holds them at gunpoint before being crushed beneath the landing ship. Paul says goodbye and offers Tara an opportunity for a new life aboard his spacecraft. As the aliens depart, humans wave farewell. Two years later, Graeme, Clive, and Ruth attend another Comic-Con event promoting their bestselling novel titled Paul.

Cast

Pegg and Frost developed Paul as an homage to Spielberg's sci-fi classics such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, alongside other beloved science fiction films. After presenting the concept to Spielberg, he agreed to contribute a voice cameo in a scene depicting a 1980 discussion about E.T. ideas. Additionally, Robert Kirkman and collaborators from Invincible made cameo appearances as henchmen serving "The Big Guy."

Production

The idea for Paul was conceived by Pegg and Frost in 2003 during the production of Shaun of the Dead. To write the screenplay, they embarked on a cross-country road trip in the United States, drawing inspiration from their travels. According to Mottola, the film was greenlit just prior to the onset of the Great Recession, with any postponement potentially threatening its production. The budget was around US$40 million. Principal photography, which included 50 days in New Mexico’s desert, wrapped on 9 September 2009. Additional filming took place in July 2010 at the Albuquerque Convention Center, which was transformed to replicate the atmosphere of the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con. During shooting, Joe Lo Truglio served as a stand-in for Paul, who was realized through CGI, while Seth Rogen provided both voice work and performed some motion capture during pre- and post-production phases. The fictional comic book Encounter Briefs featured cover illustrations by alternative comics artist Daniel Clowes.

Release

A teaser trailer debuted on 18 October 2010. The film premiered globally in London on 7 February 2011.

Home media

The movie became available on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on 13 June 2011, followed by North American release on 9 August 2011. Three editions were issued. The DVD contains audio commentary featuring director Greg Mottola, actors Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Hader, and producer Nira Park; along with featurettes, photo galleries, storyboards, posters, and bloopers. The US Blu-ray edition includes nine additional featurettes plus a digital copy.

Box office

Paul earned $37.4 million across the US and Canada, with an additional $63.6 million from international markets, culminating in a total global revenue of $98 million. Its North American release took place on March 18, 2011, coinciding with the premieres of Limitless and The Lincoln Lawyer. The film debuted with a $13 million intake, securing the fifth position at the box office.

Critical response

The movie holds a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 205 critiques, summarized as "a likable yet inconsistent road trip comedy infused with a cosmic twist." On Metacritic, it received a score of 57 from 37 reviews, reflecting "mixed or average" sentiments. Audiences polled by CinemaScore assigned it a grade of "B+."

Empire awarded the film four stars, noting it as broader and more approachable compared to Pegg and Frost’s previous projects. Similarly, SFX gave it four stars, commending its visual effects, character development, and humor. In contrast, reviewers from The Guardian, Financial Times, and The Independent delivered mixed to unfavorable opinions, pointing out uneven comedic elements and a lack of originality.

IGN offered three separate assessments: a three-star review acknowledging its tribute to sci-fi classics; a British Blu-ray critique expressing limited appeal for repeat viewings; and an American Blu-ray review that praised its clever nods to the genre and strong acting performances.

Roger Ebert rated it two and a half stars, describing it as a movie that "almost achieves being genuinely good." Manohla Dargis of The New York Times characterized it as a buddy road film with charm but criticized the alien character for lacking originality despite the film’s humor and the performances by Pegg and Frost.

Accolades

During the 2011 National Movie Awards, Paul was nominated for Performance of the Year for both Frost and Pegg and won Best Comedy. It also received a nomination in the Best Comedy category at the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards 2011. At the 2011 Golden Trailer Awards, the film garnered two nominations for Best Comedy in the "Trailer" (Workshop Creative) and "Dessert" (The Ant Farm) TV Spot categories. Character animators David Lowry and Mike Hull earned a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation in a Live Action Production at the 39th Annie Awards. Furthermore, Paul's character design was recognized with a nomination for Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture at the 10th Visual Effects Society Awards.

Soundtrack

Released on February 21, 2011 by Universal Music, Paul: Music from the Original Motion Picture features David Arnold’s original score alongside rock tracks featured within the movie.

Future

Pegg has indicated interest in developing a sequel tentatively named Pauls. However, he mentioned that significant time commitments and high production costs make such a project unlikely unless expenses are reduced. On August 13, 2021, during an Instagram live session, Pegg confirmed there is 'no chance' of a follow-up film.

See also

External links

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