The Paperboy 2012

     This film is based on a novel by Pete Dexter and directed by Lee Daniels who also did Precious.  Ward Jansen is an idealistic reporter from the Miami Times who comes back to his hometown of Lately Florida to investigate the murder and execution conviction of Hillary Van Wetter.  Hillary is accused of killing the local sheriff who had a lot of enemies in the town.  Ward enlists the help of his younger brother Jack and another reporter Yardley Acheman.  Charlotte Bless has been writing Hillary in prison, they have never met, are engaged to be married and she thinks they are in love.  She brings the team all the newspaper articles and their letters to help them clear Hillary. 

     I did not know anything about this film before watching it except who  the actors were.  This is a very rough, tough and unexpected film that was booed at Cannes in May.  The characters played by Kidman and Cusack are very different from their previous roles.  Really deserves the R rating for strong sexual content, violence and language.  Do not start watching this movie thinking it's about a hometown paperboy delivering his papers!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

107 min, Drama directed by Lee Daniels with John Cusack, Nicole Kidman, Mathew McConaughey, Zac Efron, David Oyelowo, Scott Glenn, Ned Bellamy.

Note:  Blockbuster 2 ½*, imdb 5.7 out of 10, 39% critic 34% audience on Rotten Tomatoes.

Special Note:  Is Mathew McConaughey going to be in every other movie like Jessica Chastain?  One reviewer said this is “great trash” and should be appreciated as such!