[2][3][4] The plot for the film is based on Charlyne Yi's original idea of a documentary, which director Nick Jasenovec suggested would be accentuated with a fictional storyline.

Yi asks people on the street as well as celebrities like Seth Rogen, Demetri Martin, bikers, romance novelists, children, and scientists to share their opinions and understanding of love.

"[16] — The Observer"Originally it was going to be a traditional documentary, and my idea was just to capture true love stories"[17] — Charlyne YiPaper Heart holds a 60% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 111 reviews.

The website's critics consensus reads, "Equal parts charming and refreshing, Paper Heart is a quirky mockumentary led by the endearing Charlyne Yi.

The segments featuring real people are genuinely affecting, but the realisation that everything else is probably being acted – that truth may be polluted by hoax – gives this otherwise lightweight film a sly, subversive edge.

"[20] Elizabeth Weitzman of New York Daily News wrote, "Though often twee and self-congratulatory, Charlyne Yi’s biographical docudrama is just sweet enough to endear itself to those with a romantic bent.