Neil Welch
Richard (Jeff Daniels) is a published but unsuccessful writer, married to successful doctor Claire (Lisa Kudrow). The marriage is in low-key trouble because Richard is floundering, both in his writing and in life in general, as is made clear by the fact that he is accompanied by his childhood imaginary friend, super-hero Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds). As an unspoken measure of last resort, Richard goes to a holiday cabin to try to find his muse: instead, he finds Abby (Emma Stone), a youngster with issues of her own. A relationship grows between Richard and Abby, but it may well cause more problems that it solves.Despite its relatively high profile cast, and despite the fact that I am an enthusiastic cinema-goer and film follower, I had never heard of this film under either its original title of Paper Man or the title under which I found it in the Pound Shop, Unlikely Hero. Add the fact that it appears to have been re-marketed as a quasi-super-hero movie, and I was unprepared for what followed.The story is gentle and leisurely, but quite dark at times. It is not even slightly a comedy despite the DVD case giving that impression. Daniels gives Richard an air of affability, a mechanism he uses to compensate for his inability to deal with life: this makes it a little too easy to overlook how good his performance is.But this is Emma Stone's film: she is wonderful.
SnoopyStyle
Richard Dunn (Jeff Daniels) still talks to his imaginary superhero friend Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds). He is a blocked writer and his wife Claire (Lisa Kudrow) moves him out to Long Island for the winter. He befriends local teen Abby (Emma Stone) despite his imaginary friend's disapproval. She has a brutish boyfriend Bryce and a best friend stalker in Christopher (Kieran Culkin).Emma Stone is endearing and has a funny chemistry with Jeff Daniels. Kieran Culkin is also great. His character works unlike Captain Excellent which is the big problem in the movie. He is unnecessary and more of a distraction than anything helpful. He isn't actually funny. The movie is better off without him. Even the ending would work better without him because the twist is too obvious with Captain Excellent around.
nwsts
This film barely elevates itself out of the dust bin that it crawled out of. Whether Jeff Daniels' horrible, awkward and unfunny groping of Emma Stone or his pushing 10th graders into alcoholic stupors, the disgusting aspects of this film are tough to rise above. The horrible dialog - stilted and sparse - is anything but funny and the comedic moments are completely squandered. What I find most flabbergasting is the complete lack of anything resembling plot closure or character's personal progress at the end of the movie. It just trails off into some kind of oblivion which is exactly where this movie belongs: oblivion. Having said all that, I will justify my 3 star rating by saying that the two leads prove they are worthy of being considered among the best of the best in Hollywood. Honorable mention goes to Lisa Kudrow who provides a yeoman's performance as an unlikable but decent wife.
Mr Black
I found this film on DVD and bought in only because Jeff Daniels was in it. Hadn't even heard of it before. It's a different type of story for sure, and that's why I like it. Somewhat quirky. I got a big laugh out of Jeff Daniels character suggesting he could host a party for his teenage friend and her friends. Nothing like a mid life crisis to get you back in the party - or not. I'm not to sure about him having the imaginary friend though. You would usually be over that by his age. However, i was fooled by the girl's imaginary friend. The way it is played out it is not until later in the movie you realize he doesn't even exist except for in her mind. All in all, I really enjoyed this film.
AD
