Review of The Paperboy

See this cult trash pic for the acting and the fearless audacity of director Lee Daniels. Not an easy movie to watch, very disturbing at times but ultimately a rewardingly ballsy piece of cinema. Nicole Kidman and John Cusack turn in tour de force peformances, as well as an impressive Zac Efron. It's sweaty, it's dirty, it never shies away from the material and delivers probably the most intense non-contact sex scene in cinematic history. The beach scene will also induce cringes and laughs in equal measure. Daniels peppers the proceedings with pure 1970's B-movie bravado, right down to the grainy film stock and off-kilter camera angles. In terms of retro-style, it made me think of Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects, in terms of story and setting I was reminded of Deliverance, Southern Comfort, and even Wild At Heart. All in all, kudos to Lee Daniels for pushing the envelope and giving us one hell of an experience.