The Paper

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The Paper

R

1994

1h 50m

Drama

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

37 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) is an editor at the New York Sun, a tabloid paper facing financial cuts. His pregnant wife, Martha (Marisa Tomei), pleads with him to get a more respectable job so he can spend more time with his family. Hackett is considering an offer from another paper, with fewer hours and higher pay, when he gets his hottest story in years. When this scoop leads to a burst of violence and a conflict with his new boss, Alicia (Glenn Close), he faces a startling moment of truth.

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Critics Consensus

Fast and frenetic, The Paper captures the energy of the newsroom thanks to its cast and director on first-rate form.

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

The inside-baseball feel of the newsroom material (co-writer Stephen Koepp did time in the trenches) is what makes 'The Paper' sing.

May 3, 2016

Full Review

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

The picture starts to fall in love with its subject -- head- over-heels in love, until the acid drains from the wit and there's nothing left but sentimental ooze.

Apr 12, 2002

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Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

It's all slick, fizzy fun. But the film's fighting spirit gets snatched.

Jun 6, 2001

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Jon Negroni

InBetweenDrafts

If you go in expecting the second coming of Michael Scott, you might end up asking for a retraction.

Rated: 6/10

Sep 3, 2025

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Jeff Simon

Buffalo News

A smart and entertaining movie, not an important one.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 29, 2024

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Eleanor O'Sullivan

Asbury Park Press (NJ)

A brilliantly brittle and funny movie about a New York tabloid.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 29, 2024

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Janice S

Absolutely loved this show! Well written and with heart! Domhnall Gleeson is the perfect lead for this role.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/21/25

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Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 50 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $36,600,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/19/25

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Carlos I

Much like Broadcast News, Ron Howard's The Paper immerses viewers in the chaotic world of journalism, albeit with a slightly less "important" feel. However, this doesn't detract from its endless entertainment value, largely due to a stellar ensemble cast that elevates the fast-paced newsroom drama.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

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Anne C

One of my all time favourite films- it is fast, energetic and hilarious. Michael Keaton is perfect and Glenn Close is superb. I rewatch more than almost any other film. Always delivers for me.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

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Raymond C

Thoroughly enjoy a high pace film that checks all the boxes. These are classics that need to be remembered and enjoyed.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/22/25

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Andy V

Loved it - just watched in 2024 a full 30 YEARS after it was released and I was left thinking, Man they don't make em like this anymore, so good....perhaps it was the great acting, story telling and directing. ONE CHANGE I WOULD HAVE MADE: My only issue was at the ending - I didn't think (*spoiler*) Henry's reaction to the headlines was realistic enough, I mean my eyeballs would have been jumping out of their sockets because for all he knew up until that point it was Gotcha....so Ron: it would be a little more realistic if, when Henry enters the hospital room, Martha doesn't hold up the paper with the headline, but instead is just all smiles like she was, and only after he has a warm embrace with her and kisses her, etc...does he see the paper (maybe on the floor) and then Holy Crap! Whaaa....???!! And you see his face reflect for 2 seconds and you know he's thinking like what must have gotten into Alicia for her to turn that around...shrugs...like oh well, that was yesterday... and then gets into the bed with Martha and we see the clock, etc and listening to the news headlines. Ahhhhh. But what a movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/14/24

Full Review

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Ron Howard

Director

Michael Keaton

Henry Hackett, Metro Editor New York Sun

Glenn Close

Alicia Clark, Managing Editor New York Sun

Robert Duvall

Bernie White, Editor New York Sun

Marisa Tomei

Martha Hackett

Randy Quaid

Michael McDougal

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Synopsis

Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton) is an editor at the New York Sun, a tabloid paper facing financial cuts. His pregnant wife, Martha (Marisa Tomei), pleads with him to get a more respectable job so he can spend more time with his family. Hackett is considering an offer from another paper, with fewer hours and higher pay, when he gets his hottest story in years. When this scoop leads to a burst of violence and a conflict with his new boss, Alicia (Glenn Close), he faces a startling moment of truth.

Director: Ron Howard
Producer: Brian Grazer, Frederick Zollo
Screenwriter: David Koepp, Stephen Koepp
Distributor: Argentina Video Home, Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 18, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 28, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $36.6M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Stereo, DTS

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