Every year, there comes an array of films that sound incredible on paper, but their final product turns out to be a dud. While some are more surprising than others, these duds always land in both the categories of both disappointing and worst lists by the end of the year.
With last year’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, it was hard not to be excited at an idea that would satire the legendary Bob Ross. Along with the fact that this vehicle would be led by Owen Wilson, the anticipation for Paint was hard to ignore.
Unfortunately for cinephiles, Paint takes a blank canvas and leaves it as it began – blank. A bland, boring, nonexistent satire that would lead audiences to be more entertained by watching paint dry than sitting through 96 minutes of this film.
Paint follows Carl Nargle, public television’s number-one painter who’s become a legend and icon for Vermont television audiences. Despite his iconic stature for audiences, Nargle is known for being a womanizer among his female co-workers, and when low ratings hit Nargle and the network’s feet, a younger voice in the form of Ambrosia ultimately turns Carl’s world upside down.
Director/writer, Brit McAdams’ screenplay poses the question of what to do when adversity hits you, and while the questions could lead to some interesting discourse throughout, the film answers these questions in the same fashion. It nails its ability to satire with a giant thud.
If there is a shining light in Paint, it’s Owen Wilson’s performance. In a better film, Wilson’s Bob Ross role could have led to a highlight of 2023. Unfortunately, for Wilson, it’s set to go down as a good performance in a forgettable entry in the 2023 catalog.
While the supporting players, including Ciara Renée, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Stephen Root, and Michaela Watkins, are given ample screen time to shine, there is not enough meat on the bone for everyone to stand out.
Ultimately, Paint is a film that’s mostly grey, rather than the colorful array of masterpieces Bob Ross was known to paint throughout his storied career and life. Never fully embracing its premise, the film will no doubt land a place in my top 10 worst films of 2023 and one that never paints itself into a welcomed existence.
