This film is slow as paint drying with awkward but likable Owen Wilson as the PBS art instructor who has a following of swooning women, especially those he works with in his public TV station in Burlington, Vermont. He paints the same scene over and over again for a specific reason. It’s his burning hope to be asked for one of his paintings to be put on display in the Burlington Art Museum for recognition.
Writer/Director Brit McAdams portrays Wilson so low key as this getting- older artist stuck in his own persona sporting the same Afro hairdo copied from one of the hairstyles on a poster in his barber shop. He’s had the same look for years, just like his paintings which could have been photocopied and no one would know it.
Owen’s character draws a very straight line to the legendary PBS artist-in-residence, the late Bob Ross. He runs around town in a hippy decorated orange van with license plates PAINTR. But, because he is not being wooed to exhibit in the local museum or anywhere else, he’s insecure about his talent and the waning audience for his TV program.
Having worked at a PBS station that aired some early similar programming, it was totally in line watching employees fall all over each other, sometimes drooling for attention from the star. Those scenes were kind of an uncomfortable throwback from the early mysogynistic days of broadcasting in the 70’s and 80’s.
When a new, young female artist, Ambrosia (Ciara Renēe) is brought in by nervous station manager (Stephen Root), it makes Carl’s head explode with insecurity. The visuals, especially of Carl’s A frame studio hung with every rendition of that one Burlington mountain scene set the serene, rustic backdrop that is even more beautifully shot by Patrick Cady.
Katherine, (Makaela Watkins – Sword of Trust, TV’s Robot Chicken, Big Mouth) is a talented actress/comedian we’ve been following a long time. She appears defeated trying to get a job elsewhere because her talent is rarely recognized and has history with Carl. You can see her simmering with emotion underneath.
Little by little, Director McAdams reveals back stories and foibles of various relationships Carl Nargle has with the people in this quaint, picturesque part of the country. It’s all very low key following the characters whose subtle nuances create some unexpected dry humor.
Katherine is the most appealing and honest character in this film. Michaela Watkins is a talented comedic actor as well as voice over in everything from Robot Chicken, Family Guy to Big Mouth. But she shows here she can do drama as well.
This is a slow go. Even with such a good cast, the comedy is too subtle and one dimensional. Wilson and Watkins are capable of better comedy which could have created a more satisfying canvas built on better brush strokes.
IFC Films. 1 hour 36 minutes. PG-13
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