Paul (2011)

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet, just like Greg Mottola's latest comedy 'Paul'. Dubbed as being 'from the producers of Hot Fuzz', this extraterrestrial adventure is the first time duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost haven't been directed by Edgar Wright. So without Wright at the helm, does this film take off or is it grounded from the start?

The premise of 'Paul' centres around a road trip with two friends Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost). These two nerds are on their way back from Comic-Con when they encounter the alien Paul, who has escaped from a government base. From here they come across all manner of interesting folk, while constantly being chased by FBI agent Lorenzo Zoil (Jason Bateman).

I found 'Paul' to be a very charming and amusing sci-fi comedy. Greg Mottola's style is imprinted throughout this movie. The comedy portions are very much in the same vein as his first smash 'Superbad'. Quite crude at times but not in a over-the-top way (cough recent Farrelly Brothers films). But then there's the other side to Mottola's direction which was seen in his last film, the much underrated 'Adventureland'. And this is where 'Paul' gets his heart.

It would have been very easy for us to despise the alien Paul. After all, he's loudmouthed, smokes and swears at every opportunity. But Mottola gives him a human emotion that allows us to connect with this unknown being. Pegg and Frost are hilarious as usual. Rogen seems like he was made to voice the character of Paul. The parody elements of the film add layers to its plot and a surprise cameo by Sigourney Weaver lifts this above the usual spoofs Hollywood so often churns out. This being a Mottola film, you can expect a whole host of appearances from Judd Apatow stablemates. Special mention has to be given to Kristen Wiig whose comic timing is second to none.

While 'Paul' doesn't break any new ground, it does provide plenty of entertainment value and a lot of laughs. The cast give strong comic performances and at times this feels very much like an Edgar Wright movie (never a bad thing). Mottola has recently been dubbed a director to watch and on this evidence, I'll be keeping a close eye on him.