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The Paper
1994
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 businessmen found murdered in their car, Hackett discovers a conspiracy by .. Read more
| Starring | Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Robert Duvall |
|---|---|
| Director | Ron Howard |
| Genres | Comedy |
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The Paper
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 businessmen found murdered in their car, Hackett discovers a conspiracy by the police involving the falsely arrested black youths. With the help of his very pregnant wife, Martha (Marisa Tomei), he scoops the competition by uncovering a connection to the mob. But his editor, the acerbic penny-pinching Alicia (Glenn Close), questions the validity of his findings and refuses to print the story. Curmudgeonly managing editor Bernie White (Robert Duvall) tries to stop his two editors from fighting while losing a battle for his own health. THE PAPER features a terrific supporting cast, including Jason Robards as the paper's publisher, Randy Quaid as a paranoid columnist, Jason Alexander as a corrupt politician, and Spalding Gray as a New York Times-type editor. However, the movie belongs to Keaton himself, as an ambitious, harried reporter in search of the big story. Two brothers--screenwriter David Koepp and Time magazine editor Stephen Koepp, collaborated on the screenplay. To lend realism to the film, Howard rounded up a large group of media figures to make cameos, including Kurt Loder, Pete Hamill, Bob Costas, Richard Price, William Kunstler, Jane Hanson, E. Graydon Carter, and others.
| Starring | Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Spalding Gray, Jason Robards, Catherine O'Hara, Jason Alexander, Lynne Thigpen |
|---|---|
| Director | Ron Howard |
| Studio | 4 FRONT VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 46 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Dubbed | French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Subtitles | DVD: Bulgarian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish |
| Released | DVD: 14 Jun 2004 Production year: 1994 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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Ever since Walter Burns and Hildy Johnson burst on to the screen in The Front Page in 1931, Hollywood has had a penchant for tough-talking, wisecracking newspaper stories. Here, Michael Keaton heads a formidable cast as a city editor on the New York Sun in a highly engaging and absorbing look at 24 hours in the life of an ailing tabloid. As Keaton faces another day of decisions, deadlines and compromises — both job-wise (he's being head-hunted by rival editor Spalding Gray) and personally (his pregnant wife, Marisa Tomei, is feeling neglected) — director Ron Howard deftly ties the numerous story strands together with some vibrantly snappy dialogue. Although Keaton provides the narrative focus, this is very much an ensemble film, with everyone getting a headline moment of their own. Robert Duvall is superb as the editor who has sacrificed his life for the paper, while Glenn Close cleverly shows the difficulties of being a woman with power over men. Occasionally a touch of Drop the Dead Donkey humour might not have gone amiss, but the script (co-written by The Lost World's David Koepp) captures the pace and pettiness of a newsroom with such accuracy that you'll be left wondering how any publication ever meets its deadline.
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Entertaining, though soft-centred, slice of journalism, but lacking that occupation's bracing cynicism, and somewhat remote from reality.
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Most helpful member's review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
All in a Day's Work
Early in the 90's, Ron Howard did a multicasting films with different threads weaving its way in and out of each other stories. The Paper, like Parenthood, has this going for it. This a story of the running of a daily newspaper and getting the finished product out on time while shaping the minds of the readers. Keaton, Tomei, Duvall and Close are all excellent in their protrayal. The film is very much in the same vein as Broadcast News. The film has its fill of touching and drama moments but some of the heart is sort of lacking. Enjoyable film.
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Most recent members' review
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Worth the paper it was written on!
Holds your attention from start to finish!
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