The Paperboy
Metascore
45 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 38
  3. Negative: 11 out of 38
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User Reviews

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User Score
5.6 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 10
  3. Negative: 3 out of 10
  1. smijatov
    4
    What a mess of a film. After "Precious" this just does not seem quite right coming from Daniels. Visually, the film is not bad. The cinematography is great, with a definite 60s glare to it, which works to truly transform your vision and make it seem as if it were shot in the 60s itself. The original score is pretty decent too, with some good tunes, especially "That man is dangerous." The storyline, however, is rather weak and the dialogue at times makes no sense. A lot is also left unexplained -- like McConaughey's love life and events surround that. It is rather gory and out there, which might repeal some viewers, but overall it is definitely an interesting film visually. What stood out to me (in a positive light) were the performances. Efron, though contained, was decent in his performance, as was McConaughey. John Cusack was excellent as the vicious murderer Hillary. His manic look and twitches really brought Hillary to life, as a credible character. The absolute best thing about the film, however, was Nicole Kidman. She shines as the sultry, sexy, yet a bit dim-witted Charlotte Bless, who has a thing for prison convicts (i.e. Cusack in the film). She steals every scene she is in, and that is quite an achievement considering the cast. With her platinum wig, short/tight outfits, and fake tan, she embodies her character perfectly. Another exceptional performance comes from Macy Gray, who unfortunately doesn't get too much screen time, but she does amazingly well with the little she's been given. It is the Viola Davis in 'Doubt' moment for 'The Paperboy'. Overall, a rather underwhelming film that, despite excellent performances, leaves you wondering what the point of the whole film was. Daniel's does seem to be at the top of his game directorially in many ways, but he has definitely missed the mark here.… Full Review »
  2. lasttimeisaw
    6
    Three years after his Oscar-nominated dark horse Precious (2009, 8/10), Lee Daniels doesn
  3. lahaine2012
    5
    The Paperboy was an interesting film that falls flat due to misdirection. This murky crime drama was going in with a possibly decent story, but it was ultimately told in the messiest way possible, from the moment Macy Gray started narrating. Disastrous and divulging; the plot dissolves in the sea (or swamp, rather) of visual style the director tries to accentuate. Shot and edited with a lot of panache, there… Full Review »
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