Paper Heart poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake M. Johnson, Jason Ritter, Seth Rogen ... see more see more... , Martin Starr , Derek Waters , Demetri Martin , Matthew Bass

Real-life sweethearts Michael Cera and Charlyne Yi star in a fictionalized version of their romance in this indie semi-documentary comedy, written by Yi. Playing themselves, Yi and Cera embark on a sc... read more read more...ripted version of their own story. In the movie, Yi has agreed to be the subject of a documentary about her quest to discover if love really exists, since she's never experienced it. As part of her participation in the project, she has a film crew follow her around throughout every new development in her love life -- which gets complicated when she starts dating fellow comedian Cera. This portion of the film is all narrative, and was written into the script, but also as part of the documentary, Yi travels the country interviewing various people about their opinions and experiences with love, and these portions of the film are real -- the interviewees are not actors. Melding truth and fantasy, Paper Heart uses equal parts comedy and realism to resolve the ultimate question of whether love is fact or fiction. ~ Cammila Albertson, Rovi

Flixster Users

45% liked it

43,794 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

107 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 28 min.

Directed by: Nicholas Jasenovec

Release Date: August 14, 2009

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 1, 2009

Get It:

Stats: 1,690 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still DVD box art Blu-ray box art
Upload a Photo | View All Paper Heart Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,690)

  • blkbomb
    July 28, 2011
    blkbomb
    "A story about love that's taking on a life of it's own."

    Paper Heart is an odd and extremely off beat fake documentary. What's more odd then the film is the fact that I actually liked it. Not a lot, but I did enjoy it for the most part. On another note, I don't think I could co... read moreme up with a couple that is more perfect for each other then Charleyne Yi and Michael Cera. Both of whom are the definition of awkward. 

    The movie really relies on if you can take Yi's brand of humor or not. Most can't, I however, am a fan of the awkward, it's so not funny it's funny comedy style Yi employs. The movie centers around Yi not believing in love. She meets Michael Cera and likes him, but she still doesn't believe in love. Although I did like the movie, it does over stay it's welcome. But it is a short little movie; clocking in at about an hour twenty. We see familiar faces like Seth Rogen and Demetri Martin for little cameos. 

    The only thing that really got old was all the old couples that have interview. I can understand a few, but it seems like overkill. They all say basically the same thing. If they would have cut one or two of them out, I would have liked Paper Heart a lot more. The runtime would have came in at like an hour and five to ten minutes, but that probably would have helped the movie a little too. As it is though, I still enjoyed it for it's awkwardness. I would never recommend it to anyone though because I do understand that the majority would not like this movie at all.
  • jennifxu
    May 29, 2011
    jennifxu
    Oh my god, I'm usually not that shallow, but Charlyne Yi is so unattractive and awkward I literally could not watch for any longer. Girlfriend best not act ever again. Also this movie: way way too annoying and self-aware, even for hipsters.
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    May 9, 2011
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Really short, has it's moments of quirk and few laughs here and there, but the lead (Charlyne Yi, who I like in small doses as evident in KNOCKED UP) really get's on my nerves and wears out her welcome. The film unfortunately did too.
  • LWOODS04
    May 9, 2011
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake M. Johnson, Demetri Martin, Seth Rogen, Paul Rust, Derek Waters, Martin Starr, Sarah Baker

    Director: Nicholas Jasenovec

    Summary: Eccentric performer and romantic skeptic Charlyne Yi embarks on a quest to learn the true nature of love ... read more-- and gathers some surprising findings when she begins a relationship with actor Michael Cera. Real-life sweethearts Yi and Cera star as themselves in this quirky hybrid of documentary and scripted comedy.

    My Thoughts: "Cute little quirky film about finding love and the meaning of it I thought the relationship between Charlyne and Michael was cute. I could see his frustraion easily by being filmed the entire relationship. I enjoyed all of the stories told by all the various people, and how different they each perceived it. My heart broke a little for Charlyne in the Paris scene when she expresses why she is sad. Felt bad for the gal. It's a cute, charming, quirky love story."
  • purplemegan
    January 2, 2011
    purplemegan
    Forgettable...
  • FrizzDrop
    August 3, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    Mostly just an awkward view of an awkward person.
  • dreamfaeries
    July 9, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    Cute and all, but a little sad.
  • tsigur
    April 24, 2010
    tsigur
    This movie is very sweet, but the lead got on my nerves. I think her whole schtick is quite abnormal and the fact that she acts like that in real life is even more annoying. I also hated how the director kept popping up in the movie, revealing how clever the entire movie was. The... read more best part of this movie is Michael Cera which is sad because he wastes a good performance in this film. I know he is just being himself, but I didn't mind it because he is even more charming and funny when he is not acting nervous/wanna-be charming and funny. I dug the idea behind the film, but thought it would have been better suited for someone who I don't want to fucking strangle because they are literally the most annoying person on this planet.
  • hobster1
    April 13, 2010
    hobster1
    Overly affected romantic comedy chronicles comedienne Charlyne Yi's trip across America as she makes a documentary on the subject of love. Along the way she meets actor Michael Cera playing himself. These supposedly improvised scenes are so carefully prepared that the only joke... read more is on the actors who think they're fooling anyone into thinking this is unrehearsed. The two stars do have some chemistry, but it's buried beneath such artifice that it renders any real emotion void. As a romantic lead, Charlene is puzzlingly childlike, nervously gigging throughout the film at everything and anything. One of those quirky comedies that thinks it's cute to ask a ridiculous question and then cut away to a different scene before the audience can even hear the answer. Self-conscious and precious.
  • DrZeek
    December 21, 2009
    DrZeek
    Nick: Your guys' relationship is definitely part of this movie now.

    You know, beneath many of the reasons that this movie will be disliked by different groups of people, due to the aspects of it that make it "hip", "trendy", "indie", or any other buzz words that this could fal... read morel under, there is a well acted film here. This is a quasi-documentary that takes a premise and films actual stories/conversations, re-enacts some of them with cardboard cut out art, and finally places a relationship story into the mix as well. It doesn't all work to make a smooth feature, but I got enjoyment out of its eccentricities.

    Comedian/Musician Charlyne Yi stars as herself in a documentary looking to have her travel around the country in order to find out if she can ever believe in love. She travels to various locations with the film crew, including the director Nick, who is played by an actor and not the actual director, Nick Jasenovec, and interviews various people about their experience with love. Some of the stories shared are, as I mentioned, re-enacted in creative cardboard art shows.

    During Charlyne's journey, she befriends actor Michael Cera (playing a version of himself) and the two eventually strike up a real relationship, which will now be captured within the documentary (You shouldn't have to think too hard about if this is an actual event that occurred in this film).

    This film really hits its quirky notes hard in certain aspects, but I wasn't bugged by this. The real problems I had were with the overall tone change within the film during its last act. It follows an obvious structure that just isn't too intriguing. However, knowing that the "movie" aspect of this film (opposed to the doc) is not in fact real, I did appreciate the filmmaking aspect when handling these characters, which showed some fine acting from the three main performances.

    This is certainly not a perfect film, but I liked what it tried to do enough to enjoy it.

    Seth Rogan: Your love glass is half full.

View All Paper Heart Reviews

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
August 20, 2009
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

[An] unbearably twee mockumentary about the meaning of love. Full Review

Roger Moore
August 19, 2009
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Paper Heart gets by on easygoing charm, rather like Yi herself, whose low-fi comedy is built upon us rooting for her, perhaps hoping that surely there's more magnetism to her than this. Full Review

James Berardinelli
August 11, 2009
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

It's easy to see how this quirky, offbeat approach could seem refreshing within the rarefied, hermetic atmosphere of a festival. Elsewhere, however, it comes across as amateurish and considerably less... Full Review

Ben Mankiewicz
August 10, 2009
Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies

It felt completely inauthentic. Full Review

Ben Lyons
August 10, 2009
Ben Lyons, At the Movies

There's a lot to love here. Full Review

Kate Taylor
August 7, 2009
Kate Taylor, Globe and Mail

This breach with the audience does matter, for it is one thing to seduce your viewers and quite another to trick them. Love is all about trust, after all. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
August 7, 2009
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Funny, passionate and honest. Full Review

Kyle Smith
August 7, 2009
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Paper Heart is like a really special five-minute YouTube clip that goes on for an hour and a half. Full Review

Betsy Sharkey
August 7, 2009
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

Paper Heart manages to work the meta mostly magically thanks to the sensibility brought by Yi, whose stand-up persona blends a childlike naiveté with an almost perpetual state of shy embarrassment. Full Review

Tom Long
August 7, 2009
Tom Long, Detroit News

Slight, silly, sweet and, yes, quirky, Paper Heart doesn't really have a whole lot to say, but it says it in a unique and inventive way. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Always a Bridesmaid
    Always a Bridesmaid (100%)

More Movies like Paper Heart

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Paper Heart : Watch Free on TV

Paper Heart Trivia

  • i kill criminals by writing down their name in a special piece of paper n once their name are written, they die of heart attack  Answer »
More Paper Heart Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Paper Heart. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Paper Heart Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Paper Heart to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Paper Heart News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?