Netflix 'Good On Paper' Review: Punchline will leave fans wanting despite comedy
Comedy and chills don’t generally go together but ‘Good On Paper', which is written and starred by standup comic and actor Iliza Schlesinger, isn’t your average comedy. While there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, there are also moments that will give you the heebie-jeebies. The film which the trailer claims is mostly a true story, centers around standup comic Andrea Singer (Iliza Schlesinger) who has mainly focused on her career and has not made time for love. So when she finally finds the perfect guy, sweet, smart and charming Dennis (Ryan Hansen) she can’t believe her luck. However, it soon begins to emerge that her perfect man is too good to be true after he is caught in a series of lies.
Andrea and her friend Margot (Margaret Cho) then go on a quest to uncover Dennis’ true identity. Iliza Schlesinger who is a well-known face on the standup comedy circuit and on Netflix with her comedy specials including 'Elder Millenial' and 'Freezing Hot' is extremely likable as the hot mess Andrea Singer. Perhaps, that’s because as she says in the film whatever mistakes she makes and there seem to be plenty, at the end of the day she owns them. It also must be helpful to have a funny and straight-talking best friend like Margot, to help you clean up the messes along the way. If you’re a fan of Amy Schumer and Whitney Cummings you would enjoy Iliza Schlesinger’s brand of comedy. If you're a fan of comedy, you may enjoy some of Netflix's other comedy series which focus on romance with a little bit of edge, such as 'Master of None' and 'Always be my Maybe'.
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Ryan Hansen who fans may recognize from shows such as 'Veronica Mars' and '2 Broke Girls' who plays Dennis is quite the letdown. He looks like he's dressed for Halloween and his costume is 'nerdy guy', complete with over-the-top geeky glasses and slightly buck teeth. We're not sure how someone as smart as Andrea doesn't feel there is something odd about Dennis, who is literally a caricature of what a nerd is meant to look like. The rest of the cast however keeps it real even in their fakeness. Rebecca Rittenhouse is perfect as the saccharine sweet and ever so annoying Serena Halstead, Andrea's rival, who never fails to get on her nerves with her perky politeness and fake hugs.
With a great cast for the most past, witty writing and a premise that many who are looking for love can identify with, the film starts off extremely promisingly. It in fact carries on that way till the last stretch of the film where it all becomes a little repetitive. By this point, the audience is also hoping for a big reveal. Unfortunately, while the rest of the comedy is great, the punchline itself lacks the punch required. But having said that 'Good On Paper' is good on screen too and you're sure to get plenty of laughs along the way.
'Good On Paper' releases on Netflix on June 23.
