Paul
Universal Pictures | Release Date: March 18, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 37 Critic Reviews
Positive:
21
Mixed:
14
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanMar 18, 2011
A decent comedy, good-natured if unspecial, amusing if rarely hilarious. Read full review
58
Portland OregonianShawn LevyMar 17, 2011
The crudeness with which Mottola made "Superbad" suited that film; here, a similarly rudimentary technique detracts and distracts. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleKimberley JonesMar 24, 2011
Paul is offensive solely for being so underachieving. Read full review
50
The New York TimesManohla DargisMar 17, 2011
While Paul seems great conceptually, he's not particularly interesting or surprising. Read full review
50
TimeRichard CorlissMar 17, 2011
Not bad, but certainly not good; classify the movie as lazy fun. Read full review
50
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanMar 17, 2011
The derriere-flashing, dope-smoking, potty-mouthed antics of this antisocial E.T. justify every bit of the rating that the MPAA has slapped on him. Read full review
50
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie RickeyMar 17, 2011
A big fat geek kiss to the movies of Steven Spielberg and his fanboys, Paul is a mild, meandering comedy. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderJ.R. JonesMar 17, 2011
The script is a veritable cosmos of Spielberg in-jokes, but the writer-stars also make room for some vicious and decidedly English digs at red-state shit-kickers and Christian fundamentalists. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsMar 17, 2011
The script avoids going full-bore as satire. Where it goes instead lacks a purpose, a reason for being, beyond the usual name-checking of "The X-Files" and the like. Read full review
50
Village VoiceRobert WilonskyMar 15, 2011
This is the smart-ass stoner's "E.T.," the movie the fanboy parent won't be able to hand down like some tattered, squeaky-clean memento to their action-figure-collecting kids. It's just not quite right without Wright, who could have helped Frost and Pegg stuff Mel Brooks back into their Han Solo Underoos. Read full review
50
VarietyLeslie FelperinMar 5, 2011
Part bromance, part sci-fi spoof and all a bit disappointing. Read full review
40
SalonAndrew O'HehirMar 17, 2011
The hit-to-miss gag ratio is atrocious, and we spend most of the movie hanging out with these borderline-agreeable characters, waiting for something to happen. Read full review
40
Time OutKeith UhlichMar 15, 2011
The title character himself is also an unimpressive digital creation-Rogen might as well be performing his stoner-from-another-world shtick during a wee-hours movieoke session. Read full review
40
The New YorkerAnthony LaneMar 14, 2011
Feels at once secondhand in its eagerness and unknowing in its scorn. Read full review
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