[21] The song, however, was not released to coincide with the film. Parents need to know that The Paperboy is a '60s-set thriller from Precious director Lee Daniels about several volatile relationships surrounding a convicted murderer.

He arrives at Charlotte's residence, violently rapes her and takes her to the swamp to live with him. His father promptly exploits this in an article in his newspaper that he has made Ellen Editor-in-Chief of. The characters are consistent in what they want, but what they want is incomprehensible to anyone who isn’t white trash (Yardley isn’t white trash; he’s just out of his depth). He can't sustain any dramatic tension with his co-stars. There’s no time to waste giving the scenes any connective tissue and having them progress like a real story.

You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. But as she squatted over Zac Efron and simulated urinating on his face, you wonder if maybe she should have stopped him. Maybe, but if so, co-writer/director Daniels doesn't pull it off. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Rated R The Paperboy wallows in its wretchedness like a pig in shit, and if there had been a scene where a character wallowed around in a pile of shit, it wouldn’t have been out of place. Little things like “Understanding How the Characters Feel” are handled by Antia simply telling us in her narration.
Is it a tale of corruption and injustice in the racially charged South? Main characters die.

"The Paperboy" is great trash, and as Pauline Kael told us, the movies are so seldom great art that if we can't appreciate great trash, we might as well not go at all. One character is a journalist concerned with telling the truth, but he loses out to a less honest one; this character eventually exhibits some fairly low behavior. In the scene, Kidman’s character sits across from Cusack, the prison inmate.
(And Is THIS Its Working Title? At that same press conference, Daniels was asked to pinpoint specific imagery and influences on the film—its pseudo-'70s style, its Southern Gothic storytelling, etc. Paperboy is the nastiest, crudest, most disturbing movie we’ve seen this year. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Ward is taken to the hospital. © Common Sense Media. At the very end of Paperboy, Victor stands up in class and states his name and some facts about himself. They’re gross, idiotic people whose actions are repulsive and ambitions are bizarre, but their repulsive behavior and bizarre ambition are consistent. The Paperboy could have been one of these, except that it doesn't feel like anyone is having much fun. It's actually disgusting. That's the kind of life-saving information, which, if true, you'd think would be widely known. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Our editors recommend . The Southern racism and murder investigation are there as... what? Families can talk about The Paperboy's violence. It's based on a novel by Pete Dexter ("Paris Trout"), who co-wrote the screenplay, and follows in the tradition of Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen and John D. MacDonald, who all seem to draw a peculiar inspiration from the murks of Florida. It is often over the top and very violent, but this is Lee Daniel’s style. Months later she is unhappy with the abusive, demeaning lifestyle and sends a letter to Jack telling him she realizes she made a mistake and plans to reunite with him at his father's wedding reception. Is it possible for a film to be both? Parents and caregivers: Set limits for violence and more with Plus.

[12] Sophia Pande of Nepali Times wrote, "The Paperboy may not be to your taste. "[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Magnificent, macabre thriller too intense for young teens. The Paperboy review. Unfortunately, Ward's younger brother, Jack (Zac Efron), who's recruited to drive this motley crew around, has fallen for Charlotte. Everything in The Paperboy oozes. "The Paperboy" is great trash, and as Pauline Kael told us, the movies are so seldom great art that if we can't appreciate great trash, we might as well not go at all.