Paper

1 rating: 5.0

A movie directed by Ron Howard

Ron Howard directed this lightning-paced, high-energy drama following one day in the life of Henry Hackett (Michael Keaton), a frantic metro editor for a fictitious New York tabloid. While investigating the apparently race-related killing of two white … see full wiki

Tags: Movies, Dramas

Cast: Lynne Thigpen

Director: Ron Howard

Release Date: 1994

MPAA Rating: R

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Stop the friggin presses!!!!!!!

May 27, 2000

by SusiDee34
posted in Movie Hype

Rating:

Pros: Keaton and Close - explosive!

Cons: Not enough Quaid

This bad boy is listed as a drama but frankly it was as much comedy as drama to me. First you have a flagging tabloid, looking for an editorial break to release it from the gutter and put it on the top shelf. Then you have two black boys arrested for the murder of a car full of white businessmen (well, if they were attorneys ..... ) and the tabloid trying to get the hard story line on these boys. Throw in major rivalry between the managing editor (Glenn Close) and the city editor (Michael Keaton) and the usual deadline. An ex-reporter (Marisa Tomei) who is Keaton's wife and VERY pregnant and dying to get back in the ink and fellow reporter with just a tiny attitude (Randy Quaid).

Wait, wait, I'm not done - Jason Alexander as the parking commissioner that has been causing a sh*tload of trouble, Robert Duvall as editor-in-chief, Jason Robards Jr as Graham Keighley,Bob Costas, Larry Hackett, Hap Hairston all play themselves.

Of course their first mistake was sending the naive photographer (sorry I don't have her name) out on the shoot to catch the front page pic of the boys getting arrested. At 4 foot nothing and 90 pounds this little girl doesn't stand a chance. Thrown to the ground she manages to capture the pic after all and what a pic it was. Enough for Close to run it with the title "Gottcha". However there is a secondary (well, actually, several) story line here.

Keaton, dissatisfied with his status and position has decided to go to another paper and while there for an interview, runs across a really interesting bit of info on the case, which he promptly steals. It appears the boys aren't as guilty as it seems! He wants to run a conflicting headline and Close is having a cow (must be from Columbus). In one of the most hilarious fight scenes I have ever seen, Close and Keaton duke it out (in a nice way) on the press line as he tries to stop the presses.

In the meantime Tomei is in the hospital having the baby, Keaton is torn between the paper and the baby, Quaid pulls a gun and shoots the ceiling to stop an argument, Duvall is fighting his own demons with a spoiled relationship with his daughter. A lot of activity!

Close wins the battle over the story title and saunters off to a bar to enjoy her glory. While at the bar we find Duvall and Alexander sharing a drink and stories - really getting into the suds. Close trying to be a likable sort but finding everyone thinks of her as a bit*h, which in this part she is to every degree.

There are so many plots and subplots in this movie it is highly enjoyable. The acting is superb as you would expect from this highly talented group of people. The most exposed in the story are of course Keaton and Close and their interaction is not only hysterical but also informative. Duvall and Quaid spend way too little time on the screen but the times they are there is wonderful - Quaid is a riot! Maybe not liked by all but as far as I am concerned, a great movie. And if you wanna know how it ends ya gotta watch it yourself.

Recommended:
Yes

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