Paperboys

It is difficult to avoid the American way of life in Mike Mills’ documentary about newspaper boys in a small town. The six kids, between 11 and 14 years of age, deliver the Stillwater Evening Gazette. They play basketball and on their Nintendos. At the end of the afternoon, they jump on their BMX bikes to deliver the newspaper; wrapped in an elastic band, the newspapers sail one by one into the front gardens of Stillwater. Their parents are very happy about the kids’ jobs: they learn to come to terms with money and watch less TV.It all sounds very sugary and responsible, but Mike Mills would not be Mike Mills if he didn’t add a trendy soundtrack and funky camerawork.