Iliza Schlesinger Knows What's Good On Paper Doesn't Always Make

While living in New York, I once dated a man who told me he was a former member of a popular R&B group. As time went on, I began to realize that I had no idea where he lived, never met any of his friends and there always this mystery around his current employment, which supposedly involved quite a bit of travel. While attempting to surprise him with a gift to take on one of his trips, I discovered had been lying to me for months. Lies concerning job location, traveling, you name it – thre was a lie attached. My initial response was embarrasment coupled with extreme anger. How could I be so stupid? Why didn’t I see the signs? Was it because I was so caught up that I didn’t really want to know the truth?

It may not sound like it now, but initially he checked all the ‘boxes’ until that day I was like ‘who the hell IS this?’ This was someone I had introduced to my friends, parents and had been in my home numerous times. Unfortunately, this is more common than one would think and each tale comes with its own special set of circumstances.

Successful stand-up comedian/actress Andrea (Iliza Schlesinger) just wants a break in life, career and wth men. Just when she thinks all hope is lost, she has a chance airport meeting with Dennis (Ryan Hansen), who literally sounds ‘good on paper,’ but is a hot mess! This fool claims to be an Ivy-League graduate among other things, when Margot (Margaret Cho) becomes suspcious, does a background check, and finds out is Dennis not even close to what he claims. When she shares this revelatory info with her bestie, Andrea finds herself contemplating whether to ignore facts or continue making plans for a future that includes Dennis.

Directed by Kimmy Gatewood and written by Schlesinger, there’s alot to unpack. Iliza makes fun of the all too slim shady world of auditions and the whole fake niceties of it all, how woman in the industry judge and hate on each other for no apparently good reason and how this one billboard tells a journey that no one wants to experience.

Good On Paper is a predictable rom-com, but it’s unique quality comes from Schlesinger infusing her acerbic, biting wit to make her point with each sceneario. She clevelry infuses her stand-up routine as a tool to convey the tale in only a way that Iliza can. One scene in particular had me rolling when Margot drugs Dennis and they are desperately tyring to flail his body into trunk. I promise you, I laughed so hard my side was literally splitting. It’s also a lesson in sometimes you have to put your ego to the side and listen to you besties, who may actually have your best interest at heart. At the end of the day, if you a good chuckle, hop on over to Netflix and check it out. I promise you – it will be well worth the click.