Paul (2011 film)

Paul is a 2011 science fiction road comedy film directed by Greg Mottola and starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, John Carroll Lynch, and Sigourney Weaver. The film revolves around two British science fiction enthusiasts, Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost), who travel to the United States to attend San Diego Comic-Con and then embark on a road trip to famous UFO sites.

During their travels, they encounter Paul, an extraterrestrial alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) who has escaped from a top-secret government facility in Area 51. Paul enlists Graeme and Clive to help him return to his home planet, evading government agents led by Agent Zoil (Bateman) along the way. Along their journey, they encounter Ruth Buggs (Wiig), a young woman with strict religious beliefs, whom Paul helps to question her faith and broaden her perspectives.

The film is a blend of sci-fi tropes, comedy, and satire, poking fun at alien conspiracy theories, religious dogma, and American culture. Paul received mixed to positive reviews, with critics praising its humor, performances (especially Rogen's voice acting), and the chemistry between Pegg and Frost, while some criticized its reliance on genre clichés and uneven tone. The film was a commercial success.