Paint (2023 film)

Carl Nargle has hosted Vermont's number one painting show for nearly three decades. His status as a superstar of public broadcasting is challenged when the struggling TV station hires Ambrosia, a younger painter who has more skill and versatility than Carl.

His timeslot is quickly taken over by her and so is his ability to seduce his co-workers. The station manager decides to fire Carl after an embarrassing fundraiser and gets him a job teaching painting classes at a nearby college, but he is too depressed to teach. The true love of his life, Katherine, comes to his aid when realizing that she has wasted her life waiting for his approval and Carl decides that he has been a foolish and vain playboy. The two confess their love to one another as Carl's barn accidentally burns down, leaving the town to believe that he is dead, when in reality, he is living a simple life with Katherine.

• Owen Wilson as Carl Nargle
• Michaela Watkins as Katherine
• Wendi McLendon-Covey as Wendy
• Ciara Renée as Ambrosia
• Lucy Freyer as Jenna
• Lusia Strus as Beverly
• Stephen Root as Tony
• Michael Pemberton as Dr. Bradford Lenihan
• Denny Dillon as PBS host{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2023-02-08 |title='Paint' Teaser: Owen Wilson Does His Best Bob Ross In IFC Films Comedy |url=https://deadline.com/video/paint-teaser-owen-wilson-does-his-best-bob-ross-in-ifc-films-comedy/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
• Evander Duck Jr. as Reuban
• Ryan Czerwonko as young bar regular

The film took 13 years to make.{{cite web|last=Ramos-Moreno|first=Paco|title='Paint' sees Owen Wilson play an artist struggling with a changing world|url=https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/entertainment/2023/04/09/-paint--sees-owen-wilson-play-an-artist-struggling-with-a-changing-world|website=Spectrum News|date=April 10, 2023|access-date=October 22, 2023}} In 2010, the screenplay Paint, written by Brit McAdams, was featured on the Black List of that year's most-liked unproduced screenplays.{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/2010-black-list-years-unproduced-screenplays/ |title=2010 The Black List: The Year's Best Unproduced Screenplays |first=Peter|last=Sciretta|website=/Film|date=December 13, 2010|accessdate=February 24, 2021}} On April 16, 2021, it was announced that Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ciara Renée, Lusia Strus, and Stephen Root had signed on to star in the film, which McAdams would also direct.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/owen-wilson-michaela-watkins-wendi-mclendon-covey-stephen-root-star-paint-1234736773/ |title=Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Stephen Root To Star In 'Paint' From Director Brit McAdams |first=Amanda|last=N'Duka|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 16, 2021|access-date=April 17, 2021}} In May 2021, it was announced that Lucy Freyer would also star.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/lucy-freyer-paint-jason-wong-dungeons-dragons-casting-1234755900/|title=Lucy Freyer Boards Owen Wilson Comedy 'Paint'; Jason Wong Joins 'Dungeons & Dragons'|date=May 13, 2021|first=Matt|last=Grobar|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=May 13, 2021}}

Principal photography took place from April 2021 to June 2021 in Albany, New York.{{cite web|url=https://productionlist.com/production/paint-2/ |title=Paint – Production Listing|website=ProductionList.com|date=February 22, 2021|accessdate=February 24, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=190204 | title=Film and TV Projects Going Into Production – Paint|website=Variety Insight |access-date=April 17, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417030223/https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=190204 |archive-date=April 17, 2021}}

Paint was originally set to be released by IFC Films on April 28, 2023, but was moved to April 7, 2023. The film streamed exclusively on AMC+ in the United States later in 2023.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=2023-02-01 |title=IFC Moves Up Owen Wilson Vermont Painter Comedy 'Paint' – Update |url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/owen-wilson-paint-ifc-films-acquisition-1235175122/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}

The film was released digitally on May 9, with a Blu-ray and DVD release to follow on July 25.{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/11202/paint|title=Paint DVD Release Date|website=www.dvdsreleasedates.com|access-date=June 5, 2023}}

Paint made $293,000 from 819 theaters on its first day, and a total of $570,512 in its opening weekend, finishing in ninth.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/box-office-super-mario-bros-movie-air-amazon-ben-affleck-1235318951/ |title='Super Mario Bros' Swelling To $368M WW, All-Time Record Debut For Animated Movie, Beating 'Frozen 2' – Update |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 8, 2023 |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro|access-date=April 8, 2023}}

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|32|5.1|104|Thanks to a creative canvas that's stretched too thin and haphazardly splashed with far too few colors, most viewers will find watching Paint a painfully dry experience.|ref=yes|access-date=August 24, 2023}} {{Metacritic film prose |score=45|count=29|ref=yes|access-date=August 24, 2023}} Audiences surveyed by PostTrak gave it an 83% positive score, with 33% saying they would definitely recommend it.

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Category:2023 comedy-drama films

Category:2023 films

Category:2023 independent films

Category:American comedy-drama films

Category:American independent films

Category:Films about fictional painters

Category:Films scored by Lyle Workman

Category:Films set in Vermont

Category:Films shot in New York (state)

Category:IFC Films films

Category:2020s English-language films

Category:English-language comedy-drama films

Category:English-language independent films