‘Paint’ Review: Owen Wilson Channels a Fictional Bob Ross in Timid and Underpowered Comedy

thewrap.com:

What could the future possibly hold for an artist if they have grown too comfortable with success? If they have stayed put in that snug place of glory, but the times have moved on fast without them?

These are the hefty considerations at the heart of “Paint,” a slight comedy that sadly embraces neither the worthwhile questions that surround its central premise nor the story’s dark humor potential.That’s too bad, because writer-director Brit McAdams’ narrative feature debut is rooted in a genuinely fascinating subject that apparently served as an inspiration for “Paint.” McAdam’s muse is Bob Ross, a real-life American public television mainstay of the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Being the host of a successful PBS show called “The Joy of Painting” during that time, Ross built a loyal audience who loved and were mesmerized by his soothing voice, and even haunted by his creative process and ease with a brush, as Ross slowly created his art in front of curious eyes, narrating it softly and philosophically.

While neither Ross nor the phrase “happy little clouds” that he coined is ever mentioned in “Paint,” you can’t deny that Owen Wilson’s Carl Nargle is channeling him, sporting Ross’ iconic perm and frozen-in-time clothes, with an uncanny (if somewhat overstated) resemblance to the late painter.With his perennially melancholic façade and kindly dewy eyes, Wilson proves that he is the perfect person to play the Ross surrogate Nargle—in the tale, a by-and-large out-of-touch creator who seems like he hasn’t considered in decades what period he belongs to, both looks and ideologies wise.