When everything is so corrupt and evil in the world, it is hard to stay pure and just because something is pretty and beautiful on the outside does not mean that you should touch it. Something’s are meant to be enjoyed at a distance like the Mona Lisa.

If any of those things apply to you, then please stop reading this post and watch The Paper Boy on Netflix right this moment.Drop everything and watch it.

The logline states:

“Convinced by a mysterious woman that a death row inmate is innocent, two brothers investigate a case marred by betrayal and deceit.”

If that logline didn’t just blow your mind, then what about this:

Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey play brothers in this film who tries to solve the case. Nicole Kidman plays, Charlotte, a vulnerable, funny and sexy middle-aged woman who is infatuated with creating silly romances with prison inmates by writing them letters.  John Cusack plays a creepy, slimy, and psychopathic inmate that is the love interest of Charlotte. When Zac Efron’s character, Jack, a young naïve college dropout falls in love with Charlotte, things go awry.

The film takes place in the deep south during the 1960s during the civil rights movements, so race, sexual orientation, and woman’s rights play a prominent theme in the film. I felt that this film was very true to the times and that Zac Efron did not let the likes of Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman overpower his character’s arc throughout the film. John Cusack also played a role that I had never seen before, which made me feel very uncomfortable. I need to give love to David Oyelowo for his portrayal as a black reporter from England, whom we find out that his character is actually from the same region as everyone else but is pretending to be British to get a job as a reporter. My favorite part of this film is how all of the characters look and feel exasperated by the humidity and heat in the south. In almost every scene someone is covered in sweat, giving the film an authentic look which I appreciate very much.

This is an independent film that is thrilling, funny, erotic, and horrifying. I am coming to be a bigger and bigger fan of Nicole Kidman as I rediscover her filmography and this is a film that people absolutely need to watch because she needs to be recognized again as the icon that she once was and will continue to be.

The theme of this film is deception. How far are all of these characters willing to go to get what they want? Do they really want what they set out for? Why do people have to deceive people all the time to only find out that the truth isn’t as appealing as the journey to obtain that mystical truth.  How come the only character that doesn’t deceive people, Jack (Zac Efron), gets hurt the most?

I don’t want to give away any spoilers so please go and watch this film. Comment on my blog below so we can engage in constructive conversation, and I really want to know what you think. The film is on Netflix, and I will be reviewing more independent movies on Netflix that most people dismiss.