Review of The Paperboy (2012) by A S — 10 Sep 2013

A lot of people were put off by this movie. The actors were maligned for signing up for a raunchy project--especially Nicole Kidman. Well, I disagree. I say Kudos to them for branching out into something different. Sex and violence are a part of life, and I am fine with those elements in the movies I watch if they enhance a provocative story. Not this time, though.

The film had very provocative subject matter, but the story within it had nowhere to go: The movie was over before it started;it is crystal clear to the viewer (in my case, anyway) that the characters were completely wasting their time in all of their endeavors, not just the main storyline:trying to exonerate a super-slimy Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack) from a shaky murder conviction. No matter the outcome, its obvious that a price for their stupidity would be dearly paid. That makes for a pretty boring movie. There was a twist or two, but they just attributed more pity to already pathetic characters, and added to the pit of discomfort that gnawed in your stomach as you watched this disturbing story.

It's always hard to watch characters ruin their lives, but its only moving if you care about them. I couldn't find anyone to truly care about here. I wanted to reach through the screen and slap jailbird-loving Charlotte (Kidman). I wanted to put the annoying Jack (Efron) and is Oedipal-esque crush on hag Charlotte on a plane to anywhere but there. Wade McConaughey) was somewhat likable due to his strong ethics and empathy, but his blindness and wasted tenacity was off-putting. Yardley (Oyewelo) was a jerk, but complex, and the only one with any sense. The maid, effectively played by Macy Gray stole the show, for me. I really liked her as a character and narrator. But she's the only light in this dark, slow, drab film.