The Paperboy (2012): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Paperboy is a 2012 thriller directed by Lee Daniels, starring Nicole Kidman, John Cusack and Matthew McConaughey. It is partly based on The Paperboy by Pete Dexter. It runs 1 hour 47 minutes and earned $3.8 million worldwide. It earned 2 award nominations, including Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role at the Actor Awards (SAG) 2013. Critics gave it 45% on Rotten Tomatoes and 45 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.7/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 47m (107 min)
- Director
- Lee Daniels
- Genre
- Thriller
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Millennium Entertainment
- Based on
- The Paperboy by Pete Dexter
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Paperboy About?
The premise of The Paperboy without spoilers, adapted from The Paperboy by Pete Dexter. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In rural Florida, young Jack Jansen returns home from college and finds work as a paperboy. He becomes entangled in a dangerous investigation led by his older brother, a journalist delving into a complex case. Amidst the oppressive heat and deeply ingrained traditions, passions escalate and long-held secrets emerge. The pursuit of truth leads to a deadly confrontation involving forbidden desire and escalating violence, revealing a tangled web of motives and betrayals.
The Paperboy Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- paperboy
- reporter
- prison
- death row inmate
- male nudity
- florida
- urine
- anal sex
- nudity
- pantyhose
- father son relationship
- small town
+38 more Show fewer
- sex
- orgasm
- wrongful conviction
- fellatio
- undressing
- urination
- urinating onto someone's face
- sex on a washing machine
- violent sex
- sex in a car
- nudity magazine
- gay character
- murder of a police officer
- brother brother relationship
- older woman younger man relationship
- based on novel
- homosexual subtext
- swimsuit
- swamp
- dancer
- uncle nephew relationship
- photograph
- confederate flag
- maid
- death penalty
- homosexual
- gay
- female nudity
- jellyfish sting
- closeted homosexual
- murder
- year 1969
- kiss
- telephone
- death
- bayou
- lawyer
- sheriff
The Paperboy Cast
Nicole Kidman leads the cast, with John Cusack and Matthew McConaughey. Directed by Lee Daniels; 4 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Lee Daniels
The Paperboy Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Paperboy 45% on Rotten Tomatoes and 45 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.7/10.
-
IMDb 5.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 45% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 33%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 45 Metascore
User score 5.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 55% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.7 /5
23 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.6 /5
See on Movie Insider
The Paperboy Plot Summary
What happens in The Paperboy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
An idealistic reporter, Ward Jansen, alongside his younger brother, Jack Jansen, embarks on a gripping investigation surrounding a murder case with the aim of clearing the name of a man facing execution, Hillary Van Wetter. Wetter has been incarcerated for the supposed murder of a corrupt local sheriff, Thurmond Call, who had brutally killed Wetter’s handcuffed cousin. As Wetter awaits his imminent execution on death row, the Jansen brothers are joined by Ward’s colleague, the ambitious Yardley Acheman, and the enchanting Charlotte Bless, played by Nicole Kidman. Charlotte, a woman whom Wetter has never even met, has fallen deeply in love with him and is fiercely determined to see him released.
Full summary
The whole story of The Paperboy, scene by scene
The Paperboy Box Office
The Paperboy grossed $3.8 million worldwide. $693,286 came from the US and Canada and $3.1 million (82%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$3.8M
- US & Canada
- $693.3K
- International
- $3.1M
The Paperboy Awards & Nominations
The Paperboy earned 2 award nominations, including Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role at the Actor Awards (SAG) 2013. The 2 nominations come from 2 ceremonies.
2 nominations2 ceremonies
-
Actor Awards (SAG) 2013 1 nomination- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Nicole Kidman
-
Golden Globes 2013 1 nomination- Nominated Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, Musical or Comedy – Nicole Kidman
The Paperboy Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 2 trailers.
- Trailer The Paperboy - Trailer
How Well Do You Know The Paperboy?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who are the main brothers investigating the case?
Cars in The Paperboy
21 cars on screen, including the 1966 Chevrolet Impala and the 1963 Buick Riviera.
-
1966 Chevrolet Impala Important role -
1963 Buick Riviera Minor role -
1958 Ford Minor role -
1957 Ford F-100 Minor role
The Paperboy Also Known As
21 alternative titles, including “报童” and “Amores peligrosos”.
- Also known as
-
- 报童
- Amores peligrosos
- El chico del periodico
- Obsessão
- Laiškanešys
- El chico del periódico
- Pokusa
- Gazeteci Çocuk
- 送报男孩
- Газетчик
- Az újságos fiú
- พลิกปมซ่อน ซ้อนแผนฆ่า
+9 more Show fewer
- העיתונאי
- Reportér
- 페이퍼보이: 사형수의 편지
- Вестникарчето
- Laikraštininkas, გაზეთების დამტარებელი
- 誘情報局
- 性腥聞
- Газетяр
- Băiatul de la ziarul de hârtie
Seen The Paperboy?
Movies Like The Paperboy
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Paper, The Boy and The Pornographer.
The Paperboy FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of The Paperboy, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Paperboy?
The Paperboy runs 1 hour 47 minutes (107 minutes).
When was The Paperboy released?
The Paperboy was released on October 5, 2012.
Who directed The Paperboy?
The Paperboy was directed by Lee Daniels.
More films by Lee Daniels Who is in the cast of The Paperboy?
The Paperboy stars Nicole Kidman, John Cusack and Matthew McConaughey, among 4 credited actors.
How much did The Paperboy make at the box office?
The Paperboy grossed $3.8 million worldwide ($693,286 domestic, $3.1 million international).
How is The Paperboy rated?
The Paperboy has 5.7/10 on IMDb, 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, 45 on Metacritic and 55% on TMDB.
Is The Paperboy based on a book?
Yes. The Paperboy is partly adapted from The Paperboy by Pete Dexter.
Was The Paperboy nominated for any awards?
The Paperboy received 2 nominations across 2 ceremonies.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
