Paperboy (The)
- Director: Lee Daniels
- Writer: Lee Daniels; Peter Dexter
- Producer: Michael Benaroya; Lee Daniels
CGiii Comment
Definitely, too many narrative strands...resulting in more questions than answers.
Definitely, too many gimmicks, film-school editing and substandard camera work...and, why is Zac Efron constantly wandering around in his underwear? Time to suppress the pederasty!
Daniel's is a director who was gifted the Precious script...here, he shows that he is not a scriptwriter. Know thy limits - too late - he wrote his next production.
The film is watchable...in that the performances are totally acceptable - considering the jumbled material. However, in the last 15 minutes, everything falls apart.
A thoroughly disappointing follow-up to the wonderful Precious.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Eldest son Ward Jansen is a star reporter for a Miami newspaper and has returned home with close friend Yardley to investigate a racial murder case. Younger brother Jack Jansen has returned home after a failed stint at university as a star swimmer. To help give his life some direction, Ward gives Jack a job on their investigation as their driver. But into the mix comes the fiancée of the imprisoned convict who stirs up confusing feelings of love and lust for the young Jack. Meanwhile, Ward and Yardley's investigation stirs up deep-rooted issues of race and acceptance which could cause serious consequences for everyone involved.
Cast & Characters
Zac Efron as Jack Jansen;
Matthew McConaughey as Ward Jansen;
Nicole Kidman as Charlotte Bless;
John Cusack as Hillary Van Wetter;
David Oyelowo as Yardley Acheman;
Scott Glenn as W.W. Jansen;
Ned Bellamy as Tyree Van Wetter;
Nealla Gordon as Ellen Guthrie;
Macy Gray as Anita Chester