Sunday 25 August 2013

The Paperboy (2012 Lee Daniels)

Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman (who seems to have stopped ageing), John Cusack (unrecognisably monstrous), David Oleyowo, Macy Gray, Scott Glenn.

Stylishly made of course (note dissolves in editing e.g. of Kidman to Efron in car:


Joe Klotz edited; also Precious.) 

Ask yourself though, had you been a reporter, would you have done anything at the suggestion of clearly nuts Kidman? And after meeting Cusack once, wouldn't you have said "I'm not getting you out of prison!" And if you'd been Zac, how could you have thought anything after Nicole's performance in prison but "YEEACH".

It is most unpleasant. The best thing about it is the relationship between Zac and Macy. It is a film to admire but not to like.


Daniels has once again brought a great performance out of a singer. Macy's voice is like smoke. All the performances are great.

Roberto Shaefer shot it (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner.) Peter Dexter wrote the novel and he and Daniels adapted it.

Daniels himself had problems with his father, a policeman who reacted badly to his son being gay (but, always reading, also positively influenced the boy). He died when Lee was 12. After an interesting career first in healthcare, then as a music industry agent, he produced Monster's Ball and The Woodsman and then started directing with Shadowboxer with Helen Mirren, Cuba Gooding Jr and Mo'Nique, then Tennessee (Mariah Carey). The Butler with Forrest Whittaker, has just been released.

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