Fans will recognize Simon Helberg as diminutive horn dog Howard Walowitz from the CBS hit series “The Big Bang Theory.” However, he has taken to writing and directing in the new film “We’ll Never Have Paris.” He plays the lead in this indie loosely based on his marriage to wife and co-director, Jocelyn Towne. It’s a good showing with an amazing cast, but does at times feel like it’s in desperate need of a sitcom laugh track. It also seems displaced, taking place in New York City, when it seems to have more of a Los Angeles feel.
Helberg plays Quinn, a neurotic starving artist too anal-retentive and insecure to play piano in front of people. His longtime girlfriend and first love, Devon (Melanie Lynskey), is happy with their life together. Meanwhile, he’s questioning when to pop the question. His co-worker Kelsey (Maggie Grace) confesses her longtime love for Simon, and it throws his relationship with Devon in a tailspin. He questions if he’s really weighed his options, and they inadvertently end up breaking up. His efforts to get Devon back result in a failed trip to Paris and a lot of awkward missteps along the way.
The casting really is great. Helberg does have the makings of a comedic lead and should honestly be in more films. Lynskey is believable as a longtime love and plays a less broad and wacky role than she has in a past. Grace also breaks her squeaky-clean image with a grittier role. Zachary Quinto plays Quinn’s offbeat and eccentric best friend, and smaller roles include the incomparable Judith Light, Jason Ritter and Dana Ivey as Devon’s French grandmother.
The film is humorous and does have some laugh-out-loud moments. It does still bring the existential crises you’d expect from an indie. But it does feel a bit off at times, as if the sitcom-like gags and self-deprecating humor don’t fit with the serious tone of the film. It sometimes feels like there is a missing laugh track, both for the broad nature of the jokes and to signal a shift from the serious subject matter.
Ultimately, it’s a good first showing from Helberg. The film offers a distinct departure from romantic comedies into a more realistic realm of love story. The cast is great, and he’s a convincing and a compelling lead. The only challenge is that the story and tone tend to fall off the rails a few times. Fans of Helberg will enjoy seeing him outside of the popular geek sitcom, and there also is a great feel for New York City and Paris in a completely different context than your typical romantic comedy.
Helberg shows he’s more than just a sitcom sidekick in this well-directed film and generally entertaining in his first attempt at playing director, writer and lead. The impeccable casting and great locales do fill in some of the gaps and help take the weight off the uneven moments of the script. “We’ll Never Have Paris” premiered at South by Southwest, was part of the Lower East Side Film Festival and is set to premiere in the U.K. at the Edinburgh International Film Festival June 29.
Christian Cintron is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine.
