The Paper Chase (1973)

My dad recorded this, so I did him a solid and we watched it when I was home for the weekend.

The Paper Chase
Rating: C-
Watched it: 10/9/10

Not to be judgmental or whatever, but this was such a 70s movie. The way Lost Boys is an 80s movie. You don't even have to know it was made in the 70s to know it was made in the 70s, if you know what I mean. I won't say I hated it, and it wasn't a "terrible" movie, but it kind of reminded me of a really horrible law school copy of Dead Poets' Society, which I love. Only, unlike DPS, The Paper Chase didn't seem to have a point. It's about grades, then it's about priorities, then it's about being liked by a professor, then it's not about grades or priorities or being liked by a professor, and then he makes his grade report into a paper airplane and throws it into the ocean. The premise was okay, and I thought I might be okay with it, but it fell woefully short of even my (relatively) low expectations.


You may like The Paper Chase if you like...

• 70s movies generally (excluding gems like The Godfather)
• I don't even know what else. Some websites suggest Good Will Hunting, but I love that movie, so I'm loath to lump it with this unimpressive specimen.

You may not like The Paper Chase if you like...

• comedies. Funny, it isn't.
• conclusive films (that is, movies with endings that make sense)
• sappy movies. There's a sprinkling of romance, because that's just what you do, but I was significantly underwhelmed. I'd almost rather have the sap.......... Well, no. But the romance in this movie was token at best.