This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

In PAINT, Owen Wilson portrays Carl Nargle, Vermont’s #1 public television painter who is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke… until a younger, better artist steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves.

For in-depth thoughts on Paint, please see my colleague Payton Coelho’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

RLJE Entertainment brings Paint to Blu-Ray with a very rich 1080p video presentation. The image is robust with the appropriately vibrant color palette popping off the screen. Black levels are mostly deep and inky with no egregious digital noise. The interior lighting of the television station and other unique interiors maintain a stable image filled with impeccable detail. The flesh tones are natural with discrete facets present in close-ups. The presentation provides a significant amount of depth on display, especially in the interior shots. The production design of the artwork along with the fabrics of clothing provide immaculate textural details. There are no complaints to be found with this one.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a top notch DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that realizes this soundscape perfectly. Dialogue is the main feature of the film, and it always comes through clearly without being overshadowed by any other sonic elements. There is very little in the way of kinetic sequences, but the environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speakers in a really nice way. Ambient sounds are carefully placed in the rear channels for a more immersive experience. The gentle score of the film fills the speakers in a wonderful, well-balanced way. There are a few exaggerated moments throughout the film that engage the low end as much as necessary. The audio track is not pushed to the limit with this content, but it nonetheless proves to be a rock solid presentation for this feature. There are optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Brit McAdams provides a pretty informative commentary track in which he discusses where he got the inspiration for the story, the process of filming during COVID, working with the hair and makeup team, shooting on location, directing the performers and more.

Deleted Scenes: There is nearly nine minutes of unused material provided here which mostly amounts to some interesting character moments that are worth watching but would have made the runtime a bit more sluggish.

ASMR Videos featuring Carl Nargle: A series of audio explorations with a whispering Carl Nargle.

- Listen (1:26)

- Paint (1:01)

- Van (1:04)

Set Illustrations and Photos by Production Designer Todd Jeffery: A collection of images you can skip through featuring designs from the movie.

Gallery of Paint Artwork: A collection of images you can skip through featuring paintings from the movie.

Behind-The-Scenes Stills Gallery: A collection of images you can skip through featuring moments from the production.
Stickers

Final Thoughts

Paint is as low key as the central character of this narrative. The bones of the narrative are familiar as you follow a figure whose relationship to fame has skewed how he behaves with those around him, but not always in a way that is obvious to the man himself. Owen Wilson does a fantastic job of balancing the inherent goodness of Carl with the toxic qualities that make him complicated to embrace completely. Even when recognizing that familiarity, the narrative mostly charms in its execution with some hilarious exchanges and emotional catharsis. The film feels a bit bloated in spots, but this largely accomplishes what it sets out to do. RLJE Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a couple of minor supplemental features. This is the type of perfectly enjoyable indie comedy you like to have to sink into on a lazy weekend. Recommended

Paint is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: RLJE Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.