THE PAPER
A film review by Jon A. Webb
Copyright 1994 Jon A. Webb
In THE PAPER Michael Keaton is the assistant managing editor of a tabloid newspaper in New York City. He relentlessly pursues truth in the face of opposition from his wife (Marisa Tomei), who is 8-1/2 months pregnant and doesn't want him to work so hard, and the managing editor (Glenn Close) who wants to maintain control over the paper and doesn't like being shown up. Naturally, all this leads to a huge dust-up over Truth. Does Keaton win? You'll have to see the film (or practically any other film based on the legend of the Fisher King) to find out.
The depiction of life in a newspaper room is very realistic and compelling. It has just about the right amount of tension and disorder that you'd expect, with conflicting personalities playing a major role. This is the most entertaining part of the film.
On the downside, there is an artificial juxtaposition of three or four subplots leading up to the big tension-filled climax of the film. It's just not credible that so many things would happen all at once. Since the film aims for accuracy, this silly device diminishes the whole thing.
Michael Keaton is very good, if familiar. All this Type A frenetic wise cracking is beginning to wear a little thin. I would like to see him stretch himself a little (though I suppose BATMAN qualifies.) Marisa Tomei plays her role successfully, but she should be trying something more demanding. After her Oscar last year she should be taking the lead in a film that does not require her to act like a up-from-lower class New Yorker, or she is going to get type cast.
I found Glenn Close's performance to be the most satisfying of the major characters. She is right on the edge, heading over the hill, threatened by Keaton, a cold and distant woman who has no one to fall back on when things start to go wrong. The part is a little too small to earn her an Oscar nomination, but she is clearly an actress at the peak of her abilities.
Robert Duvall is very nice as the editor of the paper. I really enjoy watching him play these gentle fatherly roles. I don't think the part is well-written--the interaction with his daughter seems very cliche--but he's still fun to watch.
Randy Quaid has a nice small role, and Spalding Gray has fun as the guy at the New York Times who tries to hire Keaton away from his tabloid. It's always nice to see Mr. Gray in a movie, and to think about his working this experience into one of his monologues.
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