Three years after his Oscar-nominated dark horse Precious (2009, 8/10), Lee Daniels doesn

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… Collapse

One hot mess. A few moments of enlightenment provided by Ms. Kidman in this murky, meandering noir film. Not a lot to love here. I needed a shower after watching it.

Acting was pretty good, I thought Macy Gray stole the show with her character imo. I agree that the plot was all over the place and never really stuck to one thing but instead branched off into multiple areas, Each ending in a very unsatisfying way. I was rather disappointed when it branched off into the Homosexual sub-plot (not going to spoil it but it was rather stupid and pointless), From that point on the movie took a nose down and never recovered. Worth giving a chance but can't say that I'd strongly recommend it.… Expand

Watching the Paperboy is a bit like being an observer watching a car wreck. One is inappropriately fascinated by the whole thing. Lee Daniels direction is very uneven (although not without its moments of style), and he seems to subscribe to the notion that nothing succeeds like excess. It doesn't! The film is handicapped from the start by voiceover narration that alienates the viewer quickly rather than getting them involved. The grainy and amateurish photography is also at first a distraction, even though as the film progresses it does seem to fit perfectly with the increasingly steamy and violent setting. Where Daniels has succeeded most is with the performances of his cast. John Cusack is suitably nasty as the killer on death row; Zac Efron perfect as the pretty boy maturing by events surrounding him, and the currently ever improving Matthew McConaughey is just great as the newspaper reporter with a secret. Shining above all these, however, is Nicole Kidman in the role of the trashy Charlotte. She steals the film. Even by her own high standards this versatile and accomplished actress is truly amazing. If the Paperboy was judged soley on the performance Daniels has drawn from Miss Kidman it would certainly be no mean achievement.… Expand

This film is messy just like everyone is saying. It's also a little thin in some places but this thinness works because it keeps the story light and fun despite its periodic lurid/grisly bubbling over it is nearly perfect in what it wants to do; nothing appears forced or rings false (a credit to daniels) and of course the acting (even efron, whose blankness is necessary) is amazing.