The Paperboy

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The Paperboy

R

Released Oct 5, 2012

1h 47m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

46%

Tomatometer

145 Reviews

33%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 1969 Florida, reporter Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) returns to his hometown to write a story about death-row inmate Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), who was convicted of murdering a racist lawman. Ward hires his younger brother, Jack (Zac Efron), as a driver and, together with his partner, Yardley (David Oyelowo), gets to work. Though the possibility exists that Van Wetter is innocent, Ward and Yardley unwisely trust a vixen (Nicole Kidman) who will do anything to set the convict free.

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Critics Consensus

Trashy and melodramatic, The Paperboy is enlivened by a strong cast and a steamy, sordid plot, but it's uneven and often veers into camp.

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Fetid, scuzzy, revolting, funny, erotic, perplexing and provocative, it's like the bastard child of Cape Fear, Written On The Wind and Killer Joe.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 5, 2017

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Judi Jordan

Shadow and Act

If you like that freaky, perverted feeling of spying on an even bigger freak show, you will find this film both fascinating and horrible to watch.

Aug 14, 2017

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Ryan Gilbey

New Statesman

Daniels turns out to be the ideal director for a film about the tendency of desire to turn sane minds to guacamole.

Nov 9, 2016

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Brian T. Carney

Washington Blade

The Paperboy fails to gel despite its strong cast.

May 18, 2022

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David Reddish

Queerty

Call it Tennessee Williams by way of Jerry Springer.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 20, 2022

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

Set in the late 1960s, the movie is tactless, shameless and almost proudly seedy. Nevertheless, it is always highly watchable, prone to truly fascinate an audience as it also genuinely appalls them.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 19, 2018

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Jen J

The acting was good, but the movie was trashy, shockingly violent, disturbing, and seedy. This was a mix between Cape Fear and Jerry Springer. Nicole Kidman was great, but she tends to take a lot of these really weird, abusive, sexually violent and disturbing roles, and it makes me wonder why. I always question when an actor takes the same types of roles over and over. Matthew McConaughey was Matthew, Zac Efron was Zac Efron. John Cusack was believably disgusting. Macy Gray was Macy Gray. This movie was horribly violent and dark. Not my cup of tea. But it was definitely attention-keeping.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/15/25

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K L

The acting is great, and the mix of the old 60’s-style filmmaking technique is a very nice touch and is expertly done. Interesting story and location - It’s one of those movies I rewatch every few years.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/25

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John M

Were this movie a body, it would have COPD. The scenes are claustrophobic; a yard is the size of a kiddie pool, an office the size of a desk, a bedroom the size of a bed, a bar the size of a dining room… When the hammer comes down – believe me it will – the anxiety of not being able to breathe becomes palpable. Even the dream sequences and the surreal “vivid thought projections?” are tightly bound – it feels like a knife fight in a phone booth. There are old lady characters in Fellini’s 8 ½ who seem to float onto the screen in such intimate detail you swear you can smell their perfume. In this case I can feel the bad vibrations in my bones – believe Kidman's Bless when she tells you vibrations can travel.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

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Kim S

Sordid. Extreme stupidity of Nicole’s character. Extreme violence through out. I can never watch John Cusack again in any of his films. Remember how Robert Downey Jr. told Ben Stiller’s character in the film Tropic Thunder that you never go full #### (word formerly used for mentally disabled people). Well John went Full Psycho “un-alive” and it turned me off entirely to see him again.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/26/24

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Jamie D

It as shocking all the way through. It left me with a bad feeling. Old movie but I had never heard of it. Strong cast.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/11/24

Full Review

Audience Member

It does kind of plod, and it’s definitely off the rails, but there are only so many people who can truly pull off this kind of story. I don’t think that without this cast, this movie would’ve had a shot in hell. And the South can be Hell.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/19/24

Full Review

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Lee Daniels

Director

Matthew McConaughey

Ward Jansen

Zac Efron

Jack Jansen

David Oyelowo

Yardley Acheman

Macy Gray

Anita Chester

John Cusack

Hillary Van Wetter

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Synopsis

In 1969 Florida, reporter Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) returns to his hometown to write a story about death-row inmate Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), who was convicted of murdering a racist lawman. Ward hires his younger brother, Jack (Zac Efron), as a driver and, together with his partner, Yardley (David Oyelowo), gets to work. Though the possibility exists that Van Wetter is innocent, Ward and Yardley unwisely trust a vixen (Nicole Kidman) who will do anything to set the convict free.

Director: Lee Daniels
Producer: Hilary Shor, Lee Daniels, Avi Lerner, Ed Cathell III, Cassian Elwes
Screenwriter: Peter Dexter, Lee Daniels
Distributor: Millennium Films
Production Co: Nu Image, E1 Entertainment, Lee Daniels Entertainment
Rating: R (Strong Sexual Content|Language|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 5, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $628.2K
Runtime: 1h 47m

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