‘Paper Tiger’ Review: Miles Teller and Adam Driver Get Ensnared by the Russian Mob in a James Gray Film With More Atmosphere Than Plausibility
James Gray's 'Paper Tiger' follows two brothers, played by Miles Teller and Adam Driver, who become entangled with the Russian mob after pursuing a risky financial scheme in late-1980s Queens. The film emphasizes atmosphere and family dynamics over narrative plausibility, drawing comparisons to Gray's earlier autobiographical work 'Armageddon Time.' While praised for its direction and performances, the plot is criticized for lacking convincing momentum.
- ▪'Paper Tiger' is set in the late 1980s and centers on a financially struggling Jewish family in Queens.
- ▪Miles Teller plays Irwin Pearl, a passive engineer, while Adam Driver portrays his more aggressive ex-cop brother Gary.
- ▪The brothers' get-rich scheme leads them into conflict with the Russian mob, driving the film's thriller elements.
- ▪Scarlett Johansson plays Hester, the sharp and grounding matriarch of the Pearl family.
- ▪The film is likened to a spiritual sequel to Gray’s 'Armageddon Time' but with a darker, thriller-oriented tone.
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Home Film Reviews May 16, 2026 2:54pm PT ‘Paper Tiger’ Review: Miles Teller and Adam Driver Get Ensnared by the Russian Mob in a James Gray Film With More Atmosphere Than Plausibility The director serves up another hardscrabble outer-borough Jewish family, but the get-rich scheme doesn't play out convincingly. By Owen Gleiberman Plus Icon Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic @OwenGleiberman Latest ‘The Beloved’ Review: Javier Bardem Is Powerful as a Filmmaker Directing His Estranged Daughter in Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s Making-of-a-Movie Drama 3 hours ago ‘John Lennon: The Last Interview’ Review: Steven Soderbergh’s Documentary Captures John Lennon at His Happiest…and Most Messianic 1 day ago ‘Fatherland’ Review: Thomas Mann and His Daughter Travel Across Germany in 1949 in Pawel Pawlikowski’s…
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