The Paperboy Review

Paperboy, The
1960s, small-town Florida. Fraying bombshell Charlotte Bless (Kidman) coaxes a Miami Times reporter (McConaughey) into helping her get death row convict Hillary Van Wetter (Cusack) off the hook. The uneasy, sexually-charged alliance draws them deep into Florida's sultry underbelly.

by Angie Errigo |
Published on
Release Date:

15 Mar 2013

Running Time:

107 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

Paperboy, The

Lee Daniels' follow-up to Precious is a lurid melodrama set in ’60s Florida, where Death Row groupie Nicole Kidman persuades crusading journalist Matthew McConaughey to prove the innocence of her convicted murderer fiancé (a horrifically creepy John Cusack). Murder, nasty sex and betrayal are further explored through the reporter’s college-dropout brother’s (Zac Efron) obsession with the slutty older woman. Kidman is extraordinary as the loony ’60s chick and, if you dig spectacularly feverish trash, this could find a small but appreciative cult. Love or loathe it, this will be remembered for Kidman peeing on Efron’s face.

A superb Kidman takes off the handbrake, and most everything else, in Daniels' southern-fried follow-up to Precious. Watch it with Killer Joe for the ultimate sweaty, twisted double-bill.
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