Paint

The heart wants what it wants — and sometimes that can lead to 22 years of arrested development, down to rocking the same clothes, haircut, van, and artistic style.

Writer/director Brit McAdams’ feature debut Paint understands the messiness of love and wraps it in a quirky package reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, but with a tongue-in-cheek take on public television as its guiding spirit.

Yes, that’s Owen Wilson in an inspired bit of casting as the Bob Ross-like Carl Nargle — a name sure to elicit laughs from game audiences, even if the curly afro, throwback wardrobe, and whispery artistic commentary somehow don’t. Like Zissou, the host of Burlington, Vermont’s titular premier painting show is a bit of a relic, influential yet passé but with enough of a cult following that he’s been able to endure on-air for over two decades (painting the same damn mountain each episode), and his tenuously enduring fame is as curious as his ways.

Despite the gaggle of female co-workers who treat him like a god, including perky young Jenna (Lucy Freyer), Carl pines for ex-flame Katherine (Michaela Watkins, Sword of Trust), a fellow colleague who likewise doesn’t seem done with him, though her imminent transfer to PBS Albany suggests otherwise. Flashbacks to moments that have kept them apart tragically reveal their separation is rooted in misunderstandings, a fascinating layer that’s only deepened by purported playboy Carl’s apparent celibacy since he and Katherine broke up.

But miscommunication isn’t all that’s kept them apart. Carl’s egotistical quest for fame and recognition within the comically small realm of Burlington is also to blame, and McAdams portrays these flaws with a bluntness that goes down easier thanks to his comedic tonal command. Carl isn’t a bad guy and it’s unclear why he is the way he is, but there’s an innocence to both him and Katherine that makes viewers root for their reconciliation, regardless of the numerous obstacles in their way.

Intertwined with their oddball romantic destiny is McAdams’ brilliant depiction of the wackiness of public television, from the personalities drawn to this particular type of workplace to hosts who can’t quite figure out which camera is pointing at them. In addition to Carl’s string of ex-“flames,” there’s station honcho Tony (Stephen Root, terrific as always) and Ambrosia (Ciara Renée, DC's Legends of Tomorrow), a local painter raised on Carl’s teachings who seeks to push her idol aside for her own time in the spotlight.

This appealing concoction of weirdos consistently feels at home within this thoroughly developed world, and their ultimate revelations of self-actualization prove surprisingly potent. Rather than parody Ross and his happy little trees, McAdams has something more ambitious in mind, and his distinct, heartfelt take on the romantic comedy is a treat to experience.

Grade: B-plus. Rated PG-13. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, and Grail Moviehouse.

(Photo: IFC Films)