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Summer of ‘69

Gay-helmed ‘Paperboy’ fails to gel despite strong cast

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Zac Efron, the Paperboy, Washington Blade, gay news
Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, the Paperboy, Washington Blade, gay news

Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron in new film ‘The Paperboy.’ The sordid tale opens today in the D.C. area. (Photo courtesy of the Karpel Group)

“The Paperboy” has an impressive pedigree.

It’s directed by Lee Daniels, the openly gay director who made a striking debut with “Precious.” It’s based on an award-winning novel by Pete Dexter. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Macy Gray, Nicole Kidman and John Cusack. But unfortunately, despite this great promise and a strong start, this steamy tale of sex and violence, which opens today at Landmark E Street Cinemas in the D.C. area and at the Angelika Mosaic in Fairfax, Va., loses steam partway through.

Set in 1969, “The Paperboy” tells the story of two brothers who return to their hometown in rural northern Florida. Zac Efron plays Jack Jensen, a collegiate swimmer who has been kicked off the team and expelled from college. His father, the staunchly traditional publisher of the local paper (a great performance by a gruff Scott Glenn), puts him to work as a paperboy. Matthew McConaughey plays Ward Jensen, a hot-shot reporter for a Miami newspaper who returns home with his ambitious writing partner Yardley Acheman (David Oyelowo) to investigate a claim of wrongful imprisonment.

The convict in question is Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack) who has been jailed for killing an abusive sheriff. Pleading his case is the sultry Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman), a death row groupie who has become engaged to Van Wetter even though they have never met. She has assembled boxes of evidence calling the prosecution’s case into question. Smelling a juicy story, the newsmen pursue leads through the squalid swamp shacks of Van Wetter’s relatives and the equally sordid offices of corrupt lawyers and law men.

The movie is well steeped in the traditions of the Southern Gothic: lies, sexual tension, racism, politics, hypocrisy, psychosis, hidden secrets, brutal violence and twisted family histories. The plot, of course, is full of twists and turns, including an unexpected revelation about a character’s sexual orientation and unorthodox sexual tastes. The film vividly recreates the look and feel of lurid period potboilers. Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer uses an intense saturated color palette to perfectly capture the stifling settings and sweltering temperatures. Composer Mario Grigorov effectively combines period music with original compositions to capture the shifting moods and alliances.

The cast throw themselves into the tawdry characters with admirable conviction. Zac Efron proves that he has made the transition from Disney star to Hollywood actor (although his fans will be pleased to know that he spends much of the movie shirtless and is frequently seen in his underwear). He displays Jack’s intense loyalties, inchoate anger, smoldering lust and casual cruelties with admirable restraint, especially given the emotional excesses of the story. John Cusack is chilling as the convicted killer who may be much cannier than he looks.

Nicole Kidman radiates sexual energy and an aching need as the vampy Charlotte, a siren who gets caught in her own snare. She looks great in the period styles and brings surprising depth to what could be a one-dimensional character. Her fearless performance includes some of the film’s already infamous scenes: dancing in the rain with Efron, applying the traditional cure for a jellyfish sting to him and bringing Cusack to a jailhouse orgasm from the other side of the room.

Macy Gray is somewhat less successful as Anita Chester, the Jensen family maid, but the fault lies with the direction and writing. The thankless role never quite escapes the well-worn Hollywood shorthand of the maternal black maid. Further, Anita awkwardly and unnecessarily serves as the movie’s narrator, telling the story from a confusing variety of perspectives. At one point, she is being interviewed by a journalist; at other times, she simply adds colorful commentary to the action; at other times, she controls the action of the movie, telling the audience, for example, that they don’t need to see any more of an unfolding sex scene as the camera cuts away.

The unsteady pacing, uncertain direction and uneven writing (the screenplay is by Daniels and Dexter) sadly rob the film of much of its potential impact. Fans of the genre and fans of the talented cast will be amply rewarded, but this is definitely not a film for all audiences.

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Arts & Entertainment

Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71

Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’

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(Photo courtesy of Pop TV)

Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.

O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.

In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.

In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”

Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.

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Calendar

Calendar: January 30-February 5

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, January 30

Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).

Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, January 31

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, February 1

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, February 2

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).

Tuesday, February 3

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected]

Wednesday, February 4

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, February 5

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale

Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions

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Pitchers is for sale at an undisclosed price. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.

 The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.

He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.” 

“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.

 “Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”

It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”

“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says. 

Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price. 

News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets   

In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.

The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.

The sales brochure can be accessed here.

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