An editor (Michael Keaton) is married to his third rate, headline grabbing rag of a newspaper, neglecting his pregnant wife (Marissa Tomei) in the process while contending with a new managing editor (Glenn Close) sent in to make cuts and the other variant and volatile personalities around the newsroom. When his mentor and fellow workaholic editor-in-chief (Robert Duvall) receives a terminal diagnosis, he changes his mind about how to present a fishy major story and sends his lead investigator (Randy Quaid) to get the story straight. Ron Howard's The Paper is a confused, unfunny, and supposed tongue in cheek farce which holds the viewer in amazement at the inanities of its plot, turns, and incredibly stupid conclusion. Keaton is amusing, helping to barely keeping the ship afloat.
** out of ****
