on paper heart

I love the Onion AV club so much that sometimes I forget that like any review site, its reviews are always going to be subjective. When a friend clued me onto a film by Asian-American stand up comedienne Charlyne Yi featuring Micheal Cera, it sort of felt like a match made in heaven. It was like there was no way I couldn't like this film. And then the AV Club review was scathing. Like really scathing. And then I remembered Love Actually. And somehow I was convinced to dismiss the film.

Taking a break from work, I noticed that the film was playing at the Rialto. Almost a good year since it was released. I didn't feel like Iron man 2 yet, Prince of Persia was reserved for a more vacant frame of mind, and A Single Man wasn't on at the right time. I even forgot to check if the film was playing in one of their dreaded digital projection suites. And you know what? It didn't matter.

The film roped me in. Despite its 'twee-ness'. Despite its obvious contrivances. Despite the occasional irritation with the heroine - an unsurpassible obstacle to liking the film if I were to believe the AV Club reviewer. Admittedly, being a short awkward Chinese girl myself, there are probably biases.

The thing I liked most about the film was that even though there was the figure of the white male 'director' in film, the whole thing felt very much driven by a girl. I chose to read it as a feminist film of sorts, way more empowered than the drek Sex and the City has sadly become (and which I will sadly watch, like an automaton). Or maybe Sex and the City was always materialism dressed up in a very fetching feminist suit. I digress. I've read multiple reviews of Paper Heart since and most of the negative ones hinge on the opinion that Charlyne is an irritating, high-pitched, whinging ninny. She mugs for the camera, she squeaks like a pubescent boy and looks like a nerd. In essence, it feels like the reason that people don't like the film is because 'she ugly'.

The film seems to polarise people - those who think Charlyne is cute and charming and kind of cool in an offbeat cynical kind of way, and those who don't like the film because she's a funny-looking weirdo. I'm hitting myself now - because the AV club review really feels like it was written by a man who simply didn't find her attractive, and maybe he's that kind of sublimated misogynist who needs his heroines big-eyed and elegant. I'm not accusing him of being uncommonly down-on-women - I think most audiences, including women, are probably the same. And maybe I'm wrong, but maybe I'm not. Which is all the more reason to hit myself for taking his word against well... hers. And as a self-proclaimed feminist, I should know better.

breakfast: japanese chicken curry and rice from last night's dinner
verdict: a little bland, unfortunately.