Movies: The Paperboy

The days are getting colder now. Here is something what could you make sweating again: The movie "The Paperboy" (imdb). It`s a tale about sex and violence in the swamp. Two journalists plus a sporty young man and an adventurous groupie of death of row inmates are trying to free a convicted murderer whom they regard as innocent. The plot is set in Florida in the year 1969 and also reflects the political "redneck" situation of this era including the then racist climate in the southern US.

Director Lee Daniels, who also wrote the script, used a novel by Peter Dexter. He seems to like rough jokes, including strongly indecent behavior and almost explicit sex scenes, and delivered a nasty but highly entertaining product. He got a lot of support by the well chosen cast. Seeing Nicole Kidman again on the big screen was a pleasure. The Hollywood icon incarnated as the flirtatious member of the "the prisoner is innocent team". In Germany we would say, she is the type who lets "nothing burn down" ("lässt nichts anbrennen"). Kidman radiated more heat than a nuclear reactor. Her beauty was the spice which turned the film into a hot dish.

John Cusack impressed as the swamp bred death row inmate. He delivered a toxic blend of sickness, sexual greed and carelessness. Matthew McConaughey delivered his familiar coolness even that his character was more broken than in the fabulous "Killer Joe" (drivebycuriosity).

The cinematography also was well done. Roberto Schaefer, the cinematographer, enriched the plot with interesting and sometimes surprising views. Especially the shots of Florida`s lush nature got me caught. The swampy forest seemed to have a life of their own.

If you like dark humor and politically not so correct movies, this flick could warm you up.