Paper Tiger

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Daniel L It's difficult to make a movie about a school shooter boring but Paper Tiger is full of surprises. This movie is somehow both too obvious AND inconsistent. The character seems written by a pearl-clutching news addict - he finds solace and inspiration in his vigilante justice game, planning revenge on his one dimensional bullies. But he's also at least four different characters: a nearly catatonic 17 y/o who can neither talk to people or understand what they are saying, a chatty intelligent nephew with quick banter, a rageful loner who calculates the demise of those around him, and a class clown that can't help but fly into bird impressions. At times he's capable of understanding and empathy, at others he is trying to mimic what smiling looks like. These things don't make the character more interesting, they make him not a character. He's not a real person so we have no idea what to think about him. The only saving grace is the ending: a rumination of whether a mother is responsible for the person her son is and what he will become. At its worst this movie spews irresponsible takes on mental health, villainizing video games and medication. It can be argued that the film maker punishes the main character for stashing his pills, but there's no doubt that it argues that medication takes away his ability to thinking clearly, act creatively, and feel like himself. What is the message here? This movie slowly disappoints the entire time. The characters weren't developed, the messages are tactless, and my biggest beef: this could have been a good movie. Instead it's a waste of time. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/04/22 Full Review Audience Member Very thought-provoking and well-made film, with a gut-punch ending. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Paper Tiger

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