The Paper Brigade (1996 TV Movie) User Reviews

Also known as "Gunther and the Paper Brigade"

[metilley · 8/10 · 28 February 2006]

This is a great film about two brothers who have been uprooted from the big city (by their parents) to a suburban Salt Lake City community. The star, Gunther (played by Kyle Howard), needs date money. His father suggests he do something to earn the money instead of lying around the house and pool all day. Gunther decides a paper route is just the ticket.

After the first day he decides it's too much effort until he discovers a pretty girl is on his route. The movie deals with his first love and other antics like a battle worn vet he befriends and neighborhood bullies. There isn't much violence in this film, nor is there any nudity. The film sends a gentle message about peace, love, and understanding that would make John Lennon proud.

This is a fun, entertaining film that will make you laugh. It is witty, clever, and well made. It's more than ten years old, but I am ready to see it again, and include it in my personal video library.

Here's another movie that the movie industry has deemed not suitable (or worth their effort) to make available to the public.

Such fun

[cfeight-21784 · 8/10 · 16 July 2018]

Such a fun movie. If you are looking for a serious film, then look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a fun family film, this is it.

entertaining

[d4rk3v1L · 8/10 · 12 June 2005]

this movie is very interesting, it's the one family movie that I really enjoyed, it's funny and interesting. Allyson is really hot, those urchins deserved a bigger punishment that the one that showed, but this very this way. movies like this one are perfect to see them one Sunday in family or when it is lazy, also.

It reminds me to "The Sandlot" but they are obviously different. I don't remember that other movies resemble this, but I remember when I was boy that saw one of a spoken skate table on HBO, it seems ridiculous, but I have looked for it in IMDb and it doesn't leave, I believe that it called himself "Starduster" or something like that, is of Disney. in short, I hope to see more movies like this and nothing else then.

My vote 8/10

********

A great family movie of whom we can all relate to

[chrishewittpiano · 10 January 2003]

This movie has basically everything that you could ask for in a movie. It has the characters that were introduced in a way that other movies fail to accomplish at. The characters are fully relatable to the audience because they are just like normal people. What I liked about this movie is that it was entertaining. There are some jokes in this movie that were not that bad. The main jokes that are in this movie are jokes that get described and shown to the viewers, rather than just having a fakie one-liner. This movie is a type of adventure movie. It sort of reminds me of the movie "Air Bud", which I liked too. They don't really have much in common, but seem like they were built upon the same basic structure of how the audience sees the characters' perspective.

There was a big variety of people in this movie, making it easy to relate to, like I said. Gunther Wheeler just moved to a small town and thinks it will just be plain boring. He gets a job in a paper route which the movie is centered on as its plot. You learn a few silly facts in this movie, you see how paper gets from the big stack wrapped in twine to your doorstep, and you see what happens to a normal teenager as he goes through a summer thinking it will be totally boring, but then makes a decision in the end which you will find out when you watch the movie. My other favorite part is the adventurous parts that make the plot easy to follow by and fun to watch. I have no dissapointments in this film. I think that Kyle Howard did an excellent job as Gunther, which was not an easy role to master, and playing Crazy Man Cooper, Robert Englund, was also someone to give special attention to.

Basically this movie is everything that you could expect from a non-theatrical movie. It is entertaining to watch for all ages, because like I said, it has a big variety of characters. This movie was accomplished really well and had some hard scenes to shoot, but must have been fun to shoot. All in all, I give this movie a 9 out of 10, for being a well written, typical summertime movie.

We should now appreciate paper boys

[blue_wave_aqua · 7/10 · 3 March 2007]

Predictable, cheesy, and some of the acting could be better. Yet, This movie was hilarious. Gunther is a genius. From him all battered up on his first day of being a paper boy to him scaring a dog with a mask and home-made gear in the next couple days. I think I know now what paper boys go through.-Thanks to Gunther! The moment I saw this movie I liked it. I saw it about 6 years ago. It's been a while. It brings back memories. I laughed even harder than I did 6 years ago.

This is the perfect family movie. Not only will you laugh, you will be wishing you had the VHS.

The only issue I have with The Paper Brigade is that it was edited on TV. I knew there were some parts missing from 6 years ago. The real time is suppose to be 90 minute, but the edited version is 75 minutes. They left out a lot of funny parts. So, if your not laughing as hard...it's probably because you are watching the edited version.

Watch The Paper Brigade (the unedited version)! 8 out of 10

The Paper Chase.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 6/10 · 15 June 2017]

On the way home I decided to check the local DVD shop. Finding nothing but the usual titles,I was surprised to get to the final rack and find a rare family flick co-starring Robert Englund,which led to me going on a paper round.

The plot:

Sent to a small town to calm down,14 year old Gunther Wheeler meets Allison Robbins.Wanting to take her on a date,Wheeler finds out that some rough kids in town are selling concert tickets. Told he has to pay upfront,Wheeler decides to grab some quick cash by becoming a newspaper boy.

View on the film:

Stealing every scene he is in, Robert Englund gives a barking performance as Crazy Man Cooper,who howls like he is charging onto the battlefield. Whilst being a bit too wide-eyed, Kyle Howard gives an easy-going aw-shucks performance as Gunther Wheeler,with Howard really rolling Wheeler into the Slap-Stick Comedy deliveries. Keeping Denice K. Rice's screenplay moving swiftly,director Blair Treu & cinematographer Brian Sullivan dive into 90's Family movie antics with bright goo and vegetables being thrown on the front page.

Masterpiece

[BUBBLEGUTZ4 · 10/10 · 11 December 2021]

How is it that only 9 people have commented on this movie? WOW. What a piece of art. This movie was such a staple memory of my childhood. Watching it again as an adult brought back so much nostalgia! A cute movie for young kids/teens. Well, maybe back in my day. Kids now a days watch Squid Game.

Excellent Movie..fun for all ages

[allyson-1 · 10/10 · 11 August 2001]

My family loves the Paper Brigade! We search the TV listing each week for the Disney movie to see if it is on! From the 3 year old to my 37 year old husband, this movie is loved by all of us! It is such a super movie with an excellent cast! How can you not fall in love with the character of Gunther and feel so helpless and hopeless for him in his quest to gain the respect of his customers, summer spending money, and the attention of a beautiful girl! Robert Englund also plays a wonderful character in the movie as Crazy Man Cooper! A must see movie for all ages! Two thumbs up! 10 star!!

Oh my God . . .

[Yakisoba · 1/10 · 2 September 2007]

This is one of the stupidest movies ever made. If you plan to view it seriously, I urge you not to watch it. If, however, you watch it solely for the entertainment value of its unintentional hilarity, it may be worth watching once--maybe.

There is hardly a single redeeming aspect of the film, except maybe the female character (there really is only one female character, except for the mother, who hardly counts as a character at all), because she is hot. Though the fact that she ends up with Gunther at the end of the movie diminishes this fact somewhat; she should have stuck with his little brother.

Other than that, the film is a disaster. The script is pandering, inane, cliché-ridden, and occasionally so mind-boggling stupid that you begin to wonder what the screenwriter was smoking when he/she wrote it. The acting is terrible--though the actors, to their credit, aren't exactly given a whole lot to work with. The music and cinematography are bland and unmemorable. The editing is competent--I guess.

When the best thing you can say about a movie is that the editing is competent, you know something's wrong.

A great movie for children and young adults

[mystic · 9/10 · 29 October 1998]

This movie is totally delightful and children of all ages should enjoy it. The plot is good and develops very well. It centers around a group of young people and their trials and tribulations in undertaking the delivery of the daily news. Along the way many things happen to them proving being the paper person is not such an easy job.

Left a imprint on me for a long time

[judahuggen · 10/10 · 20 March 2023]

Found this in my school library when I was in fifth grade, watched it cause why not, and I have no bad memories from this. One of my favorite movies made in the late 1900's, right next to Major Payne and The Princess Bride. Even with a relatively unknown cast, this film does very well for a movie no one has ever heard of. I guess it is a good family movie, but I watched it by myself so I only really have my feedback on it. For a movie I saw six years ago, and was produced even longer ago, its not that bad. Very surprised its only 6.7 stars, it at least is a 7.5 out of 10. This movie is probably on Amazon Prime, so I might watch it soon.