The Paperboy

— How was I oblivious to the release of “The Paperboy”? A friend didn’t exactly “recommend” it but said she’d be interested in what I thought about it. I fell for it when I saw it at Redbox, thanks to Joey’s mention and because “The New Yorker” called it “so over the top, so deliriously tawdry and nonsensical, that they earn the moniker of camp classic”. Lee Daniels pulled together an unbelievable cast (Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Scott Glenn…) to make this fascinating mess of a film. It’s one of those steamy, southern stories set in 1969 with a plot headed in so many directions you can’t tell if you’re watching a thriller, a coming-of-age film, a period piece, or a sex film. Whatever’s going on, it’s hard to turn your eyes away, you feel guilty for watching, and in the end you’ve seen something that’s really different in a good way…or maybe a bad way. Thanks to some of the goings on, I’m steering clear of swamps, jellyfish, visiting prisoners, and laundry rooms for the next few days. If you’re not squeamish or prudish and don’t mind feeling a little icky while you watch a film, this one’s for you!

---

[2012. 107 min. Directed by Lee Daniels. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, and John Cusack.]
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/01/why-the-paperboy-is-a-camp-classic.html