Review of The Paperboy (2012) by Ivan K — 18 May 2013

"Prestigious" is not exactly the term I'd use in describing "The Paperboy". ("Precious", now, that's something completely different. Come on, it was right there.) Prestigious would imply "The Paperboy" is, well, trying to pass off its filth and camp as top-of-the-line art. It isn't.

Of course, that doesn't mean it ISN'T art. I'd much rather see a movie that tries and fails than that doesn't try at all. Lee Daniels' film is dirty, nasty and all-out pornographic in parts. And I liked it. Does it fumble the ball more than once? Yeah. Does its blatant racism TOTALLY pass for satire of the time and not rolling-in-the-mud exploitation? Hell no. But "The Paperboy" gets a bad rep. Sure, Nicole Kidman pees on Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey is whipped to a pulp by two men in a sleazy motel room. Get off your high horse. There's power in its directness if you can see past the shameless plasticity.