Rating: 
Movie: Paul
Director: Greg Mottola
Writers: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Rated: R for language, sexual references, and drug use
Recommended: Anyone who loves comedy, science fiction and a laid back alien.
Cast: Simon Pegg- Graeme Willy
Nick Frost- Clive Gollings
Seth Rogan- Paul
Kristen Wiig- Ruth Buggs
After an epic time at San Diego Comic Con, Graeme Willy (Simon Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Nick Frost), two British tourists and science fiction fans go on a road trip across America to alien sighting spots. But their road trip soon changes to running from the government after they pick up galactic hitchhiker Paul (Seth Rogan) who escaped Area 51 and is trying to get back home.
Some parts of the film were pretty boring and could have been shortened or taken out of the movie. There were so many things going on; first they are waiting for Paul’s ship, then the FBI agents show up and there is a huge gun fight between them and Ruth’s very religious dad, all shooting at Paul and his friends. I think the ending should have been expanded on because it felt too rushed.
Paul’s character is one of my favorite parts. Take away the grey skin, the big eyes and other alien abilities, and he is just one of the guys. He cracks jokes, has a laid back personality and in one part can be very caring. Paul may be an alien, but he still has the feelings of a real human being which made him a loveable character throughout the film. The CGI made it look like he was an actual alien interacting with the human actors.
Steven Spielberg, the director of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, ET and many other films, even makes an appearance. His scene had a visual reference to his films Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Since this is about an alien getting home, of course they included science fiction references to Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and many more throughout the film.
I would recommend Paul to anyone who loves comedy and science fiction. It’s not a great movie, but it isn’t bad either. If there is nothing on the TV, put on Paul for a wild ride of action and comedy.
