This film is riveting and is very graphic in sexual content and violence. John Cusack plays death row inmate Hillary Van Wetter and has completely discarded his usual role as the loveable misfit character. Cusack is very convincing as an illiterate deviant predator. The film portrays these actors in completely different characters than we’ve previously seen. Nicole Kidman is almost unrecognizable as the character Charlotte Bliss, a tarty, aging, oversexed bleached blonde who dresses in hooker garb and has a thing for guys on death row.
Matthew McConaughey is convincing in his performance of Miami investigative journalist Ward Jansen as an “in the closet” gay man with S&M tendencies and demonstrates a radical departure from his usual romantic leading man roles. His flawed character is still somehow endearing as the caring older brother to Jack Jansen played by Zac Efron.
The movie also has strong performances by Macy Gray who portrays Anita, the boys’ housekeeper and mother figure, and David Oyelowo, who plays Yardley Acheman, Ward’s partner, and helps to show the racial tensions and prejudices from that era. Macy Gray also narrates the story with her own quirky spin.
All in all The Paperboy is a hot mess and a complete departure from the usual ho hum of Hollywood.
