The Reel Review
Iliza Shlesinger writes and stars in this Netflix rom-com about a standup comedian/actress who falls for a nerdy guy, who, despite appearing smart, successful and kind, seems a bit too good to be true. It is based on an actual guy Shlesinger (Pieces of a Woman) briefly dated in 2015.
The beauty of this story is that most of us at some point in our lives have dated, or know someone who has dated this type of individual. Initially they seem perfect, but then the flaws, or even lies, start to emerge, and despite all the red flags we try to convince ourselves that we are just trying to self-sabotage the relationship. Shlesinger nails the combination of paranoia and self-doubt, sprinkling her standup routine into the story for added comic effect.
The solid ensemble cast – an excellent Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars, American Dad) as her questionable boyfriend, Margaret Cho as her best friend and Rebecca Rittenhouse (Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, Unfriended: Dark Web) as her workplace rival, keep the laughs flowing enough to elevate the sometimes far-fetched storyline. Good on Paper ultimately is a fun, breezy comedy with a relatable message about the importance of following your gut instinct.
REEL FACTS
• In real life, it was Iliza Shlesinger’s mother who found out the boyfriend lied about attending Yale, which quickly led to the unraveling of the additional lies he told – about his mother having cancer, about him being a hedge fund manager, and about him living with roommates and being in massive debt.
• Ryan Hansen wore prosthetic teeth and body padding in the film and used a body double for the swimming pool scene.
• Shlesinger, the 2008 winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and star of several Netflix comedy specials, married chef Noah Galuten in 2018.
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