We’ve gotten increasingly used to seeing Owen Wilson with different hair and facial stylings –– including Mobius’ moustache in Marvel/Disney+ series ‘Loki’, the extravagant locks of the ‘Zoolander’ movies’ Hansel and whatever wacky look his old friend and collaborator Wes Anderson has him sport in his movies.
From the looks of ‘Paint’, we’ll get Wilson in full comedy hair mode –– giant perm, lush ‘tache and beard.
It’s all in the service of a character who has serious shades of classic TV artist Bob Ross, who created and hosted ‘The Joy of Painting’ between 1983 and 1994 on PBS. Ross died aged 52 in 1995 of lymphoma, and as the documentary ‘Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed’ revealed, his estate has led to huge fights over his business empire.
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What’s the story of ‘Paint’?
In the movie, Wilson plays Carl Nargle, who is Vermont’s #1 public TV painter. Carl’s convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke.
“Our goal is pretty simple. I wanna help you get what’s in here,” runs a sample quote from Nargle about painting from the heart, "and just splash it onto there. Don’t worry, it’s not rocket science… It’s harder.” He’s joking about that last part, but that’s all wrapped up in Nargle’s appeal.
But the times, they are a changin’ at the station –– Carl’s popularity is waning, the tote bags featuring his image aren’t selling and his bosses are looking to refresh the lineup.
Enter Ambrosia long (Ciara Renée), a younger woman artist, who is brought in as the new painting sensation. Soon, Carl is feeling threatened and despite his seemingly calm demeanor, is acting out.
And that puts everything he cares about at risk –– his cushy gig, his friends and even the woman he loves, Jenny (Lucy Freyer).
Who else is in the paint cast?
In addition to Wilson, Renée and Freyer, the movie also features Stephen Root as Tony, Carl’s producer, Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wendy, who works at the station that broadcasts Carl’s show, and Michaela Watkins as his friend and colleague who is concerned when Carl seems to be going off the rails when his world is threatened.
Who is behind the camera for ‘Paint’?
‘Paint’ comes from writer/director Brit McAdams, a veteran of Comedy Central series, ‘Atom TV’ and documentary ‘Triviatown’. He’s also worked on shorts, but this new movie represents his fictional feature directing debut.
As for Wilson, he’ll be back on our TV screens for ‘Loki’s second season, which is due this summer. And he plays a priest caught up in trying to help a family who move into a spooky home in ‘Haunted Mansion’, which will land in theaters on July 28th.
Before any of that, ‘Paint’ will be in theaters from April 7th.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Paint:'
- ‘The Royal Tenenbaums' (2002)
- ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' (2004)
- 'Midnight in Paris' (2011)
- 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' (2019)
- ‘The French Dispatch' (2021)
- 'Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed' (2021)
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‘Paint’ is produced by Silver Lining Entertainment, White Birch Films, Blue Creek Pictures, and Balcony 9 Productions. It is set to release in theaters on April 7, 2023.