'Paint': Where Bob Ross meets comedy

Bob Ross was an American painter, art instructor, and television personality who gained fame for his PBS television show, The Joy of Painting. Ross had a distinctive painting style, characterised by his use of the wet-on-wet oil painting technique and the tranquil landscapes he created on his canvas. His calm demeanour, positive outlook on life, and soothing voice made him an instant hit with viewers, and his show became a cultural phenomenon.

Despite the show ending in 1994, Ross's popularity continued to grow. He became an Internet sensation in the 21st century, with a new generation of viewers discovering his show on streaming platforms. The silver screen also caught up with that with the latest film Paint, where the main character is based on Bob Ross and played by the veteran comedian Owen Wilson.

The Bob Ross-based character is Carl Nagle, who has been the showrunner of Vermont's painting show for over thirty years. He is now facing a creative block, unable to draw any new paintings and drawing the same Mount Mansfield in various angles over and over. His broadcasting company is also financially struggling. Still, he is quite famous among his female colleagues for being a clever womaniser, which is odd for someone based on Bob Ross.

However, his career sees a bad time when he faces a new competitor. Ambrosia, a young painter, shows more skills and versatility than Carl and takes over his painting show. 

Losing his favourite job and only source of joy and happiness, Carl becomes depressed and struggles to cope with his new life. He doesn't enjoy painting anymore, even though he gets the chance to teach at a local school.

But Carl's life is not all about depression. He soon meets the love of his life, Katherine, who tries to help him. But Carl is too disconnected from her; consequently, he loses the love of his life. But he realises his mistake: he doesn't always need art to lead a simple and happy life. So what decision does Carl make for the future? Will he reconcile with Katherine? Paint has the answer.

Owen Wilson tried too hard to incorporate his comedic genius into Carl, but the shadow of Bob Ross limited his down-to-earth performance. The film also seemed to try hard to incorporate Bob Ross's personality into a comedic setting. The film attempts to challenge the wholesomeness of Bob Ross but falls short due to weak wordplay and bad gags. 

Overall, Paint is suitable for Bob Ross, who wants to experience what an experiment combining the beloved painter and comedy will look like. Still, they might be disappointed by its weak story building.

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