The Paperboy

Mini Review

http://thepaperboy-movie.com/

Although I am signed up to See Film First I rarely get notified of their advanced screenings. As it so happens one of my friends got tickets to this screening but was unable to attend, and as such gave the tickets to me. I appealed on Facebook for anyone who wanted to join me for the early morning showing of the film, which just so happened to be on Mothering Sunday; and I was pleasantly surprised to have the ticket snapped up by a friend who used to be my housemate many moons ago. Surprising, as despite sharing a flat for over a year, this was our first cinematic outing together. 

The film is set in the hot Florida summer of 1969 and tells the tale of Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman), a woman who has a thing for corresponding with men in prison. Her latest man on the inside is Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack), who has been imprisoned on death row for murdering the local Sheriff. Charlotte believes him innocent and contacts local newspaper family the Jansen's, asking Ward (Matthew McConaughey) and his writing partner Yardley (David Oyelowo) to write a story about Hillary. Charlotte wants them to investigate claims that Hillary has been wrongly imprisoned simply because he's a redneck. In the process of freeing her jailbird, Charlotte gets close to Ward's younger brother Jack (Zac Efron), who in turn becomes more than a little infatuated with Charlotte. 

The Paperboy was certainly different I will give you that. I'm not entirely sure it was a suitable Mothering Sunday film or that it should be seen at 11am on any day of the week, but it was very atmospheric of the place and time it was set; the story was unique and the acting superb. Unlike Kidman's other film that I saw this month, Stoker, I didn't feel like this was style over substance, but I still didn't feel that it had an awful lot to say for itself. The overwhelming feeling that I took from The Paperboy is that it's a film about loneliness and how different people deal with it in different ways. Charlotte is drawn to people in prison, but ultimately, although she wants someone, she doesn't believe they'll get out. *spoiler alert* Her shock is clear when Hillary shows up at her door after being released. Ward's homosexuality in an age when this was more than frowned upon but could get you killed, makes him long for companionship to the point where he takes things to extreme levels. Jack's loneliness embodies itself in a crush on an unobtainable woman. And almost gets him killed. *End spoiler*

I don't feel like my life has been changed by seeing The Paperboy but I'm still glad that I did see it and I would still recommend it. But it's not for everybody. I was glad that I went to see it with someone who is very open minded as this would not have been the type of film for some of my friends. It does feature a lot of graphic scenes of sex and violence. But if you think you can stomach that and it sounds like an interesting premise then I'd give it a watch. Just don't believe all the awards hype about it. 7 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 10th March 2013

UK Release Date - 15th March 2013

Cast Overview:

Zac Efron ~ Jack Jansen 

Matthew McConaughey ~ Ward Jansen

David Oyelowo ~ Yardley Acheman

Scott Glenn ~ W. W. Jansen

Nikolette Noel ~ Nancy

John Cusack ~ Hillary Van Wetter

Nicole Kidman ~ Charlotte Bless

Macy Gray ~ Anita Chester

Director ~ Lee Daniels

Writer ~ Lee Daniels (Screenplay) and Peter Dexter (Novel and Screenplay)

Stoker

Mini Review

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/stoker/

After spending a lovely weekend with my friend we decided that we weren't quite ready for it to be over and would have time to waste a few hours at the cinema. The film we wanted to see, Song For Marion, wasn't on for another couple of hours so I suggested we see Stoker as my friend is a fan of Nicole Kidman. She asked me what it was about and I realised at that point that I didn't know. Upon looking at the synopsis I realised that the film also starred Dermot Mulroney who I've loved for years. So we decided that regardless of the dark subject matter we were going to give the film a chance.

The film opens on the funeral of Richard Stoker (Dermot Mulroney - woe is me). His introverted daughter India (Mia Wasikowska) and dedicated wife Evelyn (Nicole Kidman) are present, but so too is Richard's estranged brother Charlie (Matthew Goode). India, who has never previously been aware of the existence of this mysterous uncle, becomes increasingly intregued by Charlie and his sudden presence in her and her mother's house. The situation turns sinister when Charlie's aunt shows up and tries to warn India that Charlie may not be all that he seems. Will she listen to her great Aunt or is India destined to follow her uncle down a path that she can never turn back from?

Stoker is a hard film to grapple with. On the one hand it keeps the viewer interested by twists and turns in the plot, it's well acted and the direction is at times beautiful and yet always to the point. But on the other hand it doesn't really go anywhere or have much to say for itself. It's a definite case of style over substance. 

I wish there'd been some sort of epiphany at the end or that I'd felt somehow enriched by seeing it but I didn't. The only realisation being that those were 2 hours of my life I wasn't getting back. And that Dermot Mulroney should have had a bigger role. 5 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 3rd March 2013

UK Release Date - 1st March 2013

Cast Overview:

Mia Wasikowska ~ India Stoker

Nicole Kidman ~ Evelyn Stoker

Matthew Goode ~ Charlie Stoker

Dermot Mulroney ~ Richard Stoker

Jacki Weaver ~ Gwendolyn Stoker

Ralph Brown ~ Sheriff

Director ~ Chan-Wook Park

Writer ~ Wentworth Miller (contributing writer Erin Cressida Wilson)