Denis Côté comes back to Berlinale , this time with a documentary film about a man, “Paul“, who decides after many years of depression, of hiding himself and not being in the outside world, to try a new version of interaction: becoming a simp, a kind of slave for young women whom he does free cleaning for. This is the beginning of a new life and a good motivation ofr the director to observe the peculiar life of Paul.
It is a portrait through pure observation, with no judgment at all
Denis Côté decided to just observe, making “Paul” a non-judgmental film, letting us into the life of this man, whose life is lonely and peculiar, in the moment when he is trying his way out of a shell he forced himself into years ago.Denis Côté does not care how Paul chooses to do that, his choices are his and he is just peeking into this world from outside, like a passenger.
It was complicated to convince him , but once he agreed, the movie happened quickly
Denis Côté tells us that it has been complicated to convince Paul to let himself and his life filmed: Paul did not talk to man, any man, he was shy and did not like being in company of men. This obstacle was overcome, Paul developed a genuine love with the camera and his ego blossomed transforming his shyness in boldness.
Plot
Paul struggles with depression and social anxiety. He leads a solitary and routine-bound existence spent mostly at home. But, as a big fan of “Alice in Wonderland”, he is always thinking up new ways to make his world brighter and more ornate. Seeking safety and security, he embarks on an unusual job: doing housework for dominant women. As the submissive “Cleaning Simp Paul”, he succeeds in breaking out of his angst-ridden routine. Obsessed with his Instagram profile, Paul retreats into a self-prescribed, virtual therapeutic fantasy that he calls “Cleaning to Save My Life”. One Insta reel at a time, he battles to find inner peace by pleasing his favourite dominatrices.
Filmed from a candid, non-judgemental perspective, Paul is a portrait of an eccentric but endearing human being that delivers a unique take on our sometimes idiosyncratic quest for well-being.