The Paperboy

Lee Daniels' follow-up to his 2009 Oscar winner Precious is not an impressive work by any metric other than as an exploitation movie, but by that measure, I think it is kind of great. The Paperboy is a hicksplotation / blacksplotation hybrid filmed with an Ozsplotation sensibility. However, it begs the question: Is there such a thing as an exploitation film when there isn't really a market to exploit? I just don't see the types of folks who used to come out for a movie like this lining up for this one when we have the internet and reality TV for free. Then again, if the exploitation is merely that of the A-listers taking risks, perhaps there is a market. Arthouse folks—and really all movie lovers—always like to see famous people doing "what-the-fuck-stuff" on screen and pondering what led to these choices. There are certainly scenes in this picture that will make you go, "Who the fuck thought of that?!"