Paperboy

Paperboy

Grade: B-

Directed by: Lee Daniels
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack

Paperboy IMDB

I never bothered to watch Lee Daniels' Precious. It seemed like too much of a muchness for me, I only have so much sympathy I can have for a character in a bad situation, when you go overboard, you've taken advantage of me as an audience. Paperboy is not any sort of revelation wherein Daniels has found some restraint. In fact, it may go even further. At least here though, it's not in some misguided attempt to make a moving drama. Here, Paperboy, seeks to be nothing but unabashed, unapologetic trashy, sweaty, pulpy and gonzo storytelling that succeeds in at least being so crazy you can't look away.

A journalist, Ward (McConaughey), and his black writing partner (Oyelowo) return to Ward's hometown in racist northern Florida in 1969. His brother Jack (Efron) is there to drive them around as they go trying to prove the innocence of a man on death row (Cusack) in lieu of letters written by a convict lovebird (Kidman). That setup sounds like a journalistic thriller would be on the way, especially given McConaughey's track record with them (Lincoln Lawyer, Time to Kill). That is not the case. What follows is a bizarre story so over-the-top that it's in the stratosphere. There's hardly a through line for the plot, as the screenplay (co-written by Daniels) has little interest in whether or not Hillary actually killed anybody. It essentially is delegated to the backseat and only thrown in occasionally to move some part of the story forward. Daniels is much more interested in creating the sweatiest, most sexually charged atmosphere he can. The story focuses more on Efron's Jack, which is a mistake because Efron, despite his best efforts, is not a leading man. He doesn't have the range, gravitas, or power to make you want to watch him for 90 minutes. His performances are shallow and flat, he maintains a steady distant gaze. There seems to be nothing going on underneath. He falls in love with Kidman, who plays her character as lurid and nasty as possible. She swings for the fences, going overboard at times, but essentially nailing the part.

While Efron is in love, McConaughey's Ward is obsessed with the case, and too bad the film rarely follows him. What we get is a loose sketch of a character who turns out to be a masochistic homosexual with a self-hatred due to his desires. It's an interesting portrait of a man, which McConaughey plays with some mystery and danger. But after his dark side gets the better of him, the case gets away and Hillary is set free. Pardoned because of a story written by his fame hungry partner, without any regard for the truth. Ward is destroyed over the fact. When Hillary gets out, we realize that Kidman's Charlotte and Ward, have made a mistake. Hillary is dangerous. Cusack looks puffy and has a hairdo that would make Nic Cage blush. Mumbling in a thick accent, and looking nothing like someone who would pose any sort of a physical threat to the bigger Efron and McConaughey. Add in a clunky voice over and unnecessary narration by the grating Macy Gray, and you've got a cast whose performances only have sweat in common.

There are incredibly strange scenes in which Cusack and Kidman have a sort of sex from across the room while Efron, McConaughey, and Oyelowo watch on awkwardly. Top that off with a scene where Kidman pees on Efron's face, seeing McConaughey hog tied, and a strange editing style that throws in shots from earlier for reasons that aren't clear or make any sort of symbolic sense.

Daniels definitely has a gift for excess, and encourages his actors to do the same. Subtlety be damned. It's definitely a film that has it's own goals, and shirks a traditional setup. Rumors were Pedro Almodovar was slated to be the original director. One could only imagine how much stranger it would've been if he'd been in the chair. It's a strange experience, and not one I'm sure that I'd want to repeat again, but it deserves to be watched, just so you can believe the rumors.

FUN FACT: Alex Pettyfer was originally to play Efron's character, Sofia Veraga for Nicole Kidman, Tobey Maguire in McConaughey's role. In which case I would've never watched this film.