Good on Paper
Kids say
Based on 1 review
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Good on Paper
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Good on Paper is a relationship comedy with mature themes and language aimed at an adult audience. The concept of relationships between 30-somethings dissatisfied with their lives or careers likely won't resonate with younger viewers anyway. There's a lot of alcohol consumption in this film and, in one case, a man said to be a "low-key functioning alcoholic" drinks too much, vomits, and passes out. Two people take mushrooms and go out dancing, and a woman smokes a cigarette in one scene. There's also sexual content, though more in dialogues than actual visuals. A scene shows a woman rolling over on top of a man when they wake up in bed together partially dressed. Couples kiss and make out. A man's naked body is seen from behind, and his physical attractiveness (or lack thereof) is discussed in detail while he's wearing a bathing suit. There's talk of "missionary," "hot," "penis," "eat a d--k," hitting on people, and forcing someone to "f--k a goat." Other language includes variations on "f--k" and "s--t," "goddammit," "hell," "a--hole," "bitch," "penis," "d--k," "butthole," "pee," "psycho," "creep," "stupid," "brat," and "Oh my God." In one scene, a man's side is accidentally caught in a door and his skin is torn off. A woman tries to "cauterize the wound" by pouring alcohol on it and setting it on fire.
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What's the Story?
When 34-year-old Andrea (Iliza Shlesinger), a stand-up comedian and aspiring actress, meets Dennis (Ryan Hansen) on an airplane at the start of GOOD ON PAPER, sparks don't fly. But Dennis persists, and he does indeed look good on paper -- he says he went to Yale and works as a hedge fund manager. Despite his somewhat unexciting appearances and demeanor, which Andrea doesn't find attractive at first, he's smart and kind and eventually wins Andrea over as a friend and later boyfriend. But Andrea's best friend Margot (Margaret Cho) has her doubts, and she pushes Andrea to question some of the inconsistencies of Dennis's story.
Is It Any Good?
Iliza Shlesinger and Margaret Cho make a very funny duo, and while this collaboration isn't great cinema, it's an amusing and well-paced hour and half of entertainment. The few laugh-out-loud scenes in Good on Paper involve the pair together -- an over-prepared stake-out and a misguided interrogation come to mind. The film flashes every now and then, Seinfeld-esque, to Shlesinger doing stand-up routines related to the movie's storyline, which we're told is "a mostly true story." These inserts could have fallen flat or pulled the viewer too far out of the action of the story, but since she's playing a stand-up comic and the routines are part of her character's story, it works.
In the film, the comedian's act revolves around questioning gender roles: Why when women do certain things are they judged so much more harshly than men? The inserts are funny especially in the context of the story being told. A final sequence involving a courtroom battle feels out of tone for the rest of the film. Ryan Hansen captures just the right mix of weird and harmless to make his character believable and only slightly creepy, keeping things from getting dark. Beyond the devious beau, it's a good bet that some of what Shlesinger's comic deals with in Good on Paper -- like a drunk "bro" telling her she's funny "for a girl" and the jealousies and struggles of forging a career in the entertainment industry -- are also "a mostly true story."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the inclusion of stand-up comedy routines in Good on Paper. Have you seen this done in other series or movies? Do you like their addition? Why or why not?
The adults in this film, all in their 30s, seem to feel insecure or dissatisfied for a variety of reasons. Why? How does this affect them? How do you think a person can avoid this?
How is drinking alcohol portrayed in this movie? Does the drinking pose a problem in any of the characters' lives? How so?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 23, 2021
- Cast: Iliza Shlesinger, Ryan Hansen, Margaret Cho
- Director: Kimmy Gatewood
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- Run time: 92 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language throughout, sexual references, and brief drug use and nudity
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Truth & Iliza
Lighthearted, smart talk has innuendo, drinking, language.
-
I Feel Pretty
Fun but uneven comedy tackles self-esteem; some racy bits.
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Seinfeld
Yadda, yadda, yadda -- a classic for teens and up.
-
Trainwreck
Amy Schumer's raunchy romcom is funny but uneven.
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