Saratoga Report’s review of the Saratoga Springs-filmed movie Paint, starring Owen Wilson
By Dan De Federicis
The movie “Paint”, starring Owen Wilson with a solid supporting cast, opened in theaters yesterday (April 7th). It stars an afro-wearing Wilson as Carl Nargle, a character very much like Bob Ross, a popular PBS Television host and art instructor who spoke in a soothing voice as he taught his TV audience about painting during the 1980s and 90s.
The afro, soothing voice and painting may be where the similarities with Ross ends. Nargle’s career and life, for the sake of not spoiling even the plot development for you, gets complicated quickly as he finds himself in a deep rut and some old mistakes, revealed in flashback scenes, come to haunt him. He is described in the movie as “antiquated, one-dimensional and very sexist”, which fairly explains why he finds himself in such a hole that he can’t seem to get out of.
There were points in the first half of the movie where things moved slowly, but that was a great chance to enjoy the Saratoga-area scenery and landmarks in the movie. I must have seen the intersection of Railraod Avenue and Division Streets in three or four scenes, with a blurry Spot Coffee in the background. Caroline Street got plenty of love, as there were scenes filmed at Desperate Annie’s and the barbershop scenes were filmed in what is now Lucy’s.
The countryside scenes were breathtaking, but I’m not exactly sure where those were shot. The movie had its funny moments, with a scene filmed in the Old Bryan Inn having me laugh out loud. OBI in the movie was called “The Cheesepot Depot”, which was funny on its own. You can read more about the Saratoga-area locations used for filming here in Saratoga Living’s Abby Tegnelia’s exclusive interview with Owen Wilson.
The fictional setting for the movie was Burlington, Vermont. Saratoga itself was never mentioned in the movie, but Albany was referenced a fair amount as it was central to one of the character’s development. There was even a reference to “Lum’s”, a regional restaurant chain that’s been gone a long, long time.
Is “Paint” a great movie? No, but plunk down 13 bucks (Just $10 at AMC for the 1:30pm show) and go see it anyway. It was light, enjoyable, funny at times and had a few plot twists. The soundtrack kicks butt, and I decided that even before I heard one of my faves – Jerry Reed. Go to see our city and region displayed in ways you never saw before. But most of all go to see Owen Wilson, a great actor and a good guy who was so friendly to so many Saratogians and gave this city a boost while we were all still weary from COVID.
“Paint” is playing at AMC Saratoga Springs 11