Paparazzi
(2004)
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From producer Mel Gibson comes this revenge fantasy about a Hollywood action star who takes it upon himself to make a group of four persistent photographers pay for almost causing a personal tragedy involving his wife and son. |
Ex-hair stylist Paul Abascal seems to have made good use of the hours spent on Mel Gibson's locks while working on the Lethal Weapon movies. His debut feature (with Gibson co-producing) is a rough-hewn revenge thriller that shows the effects of paparazzi persecution from the point of view of the celebrity. When up-and-coming movie action hero Bo Laramie (Cole Hauser) antagonises unscrupulous snapper Rex Harper (Tom Sizemore), he finds that his wife and child are targeted by Harper and his three sleazy cronies. A subsequent paparazzi-induced car accident sends Laramie over the edge and, with the police unable to take action, he decides to take matters into his own hands. Low on quality and virtually morality free, this film is reminiscent of exploitation flicks like Death Wish, only set in Tinseltown. Though the cast is interesting (and there are cameos from Gibson, Chris Rock and Matthew McConaughey), this crass movie is all about making a point with a sledgehammer rather than examining the paparazzi's place in today's celebrity culture.