Speaking at the New York Film Festival premiere of his latest film, “Paper Tiger,” director James Gray emphasized his preference for cinematic subtext over overt political messaging. The drama, which stars Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller, premiered Friday to an audience keenly aware of the shifting political landscape.
“All movies are political in one way or another, but I like movies that exist with subtext,” Gray told Variety. “I don’t want to preach to you. That’s a polemic. That’s for debate class. The reason we can watch some of those beautiful Hollywood movies from 1940 and still find them moving is because they weren’t trying to teach us a lesson. Not Sunday school. Art is not Sunday school.”
Despite Gray’s intent to avoid didacticism, “Paper Tiger” has drawn unavoidable comparisons to current events due to its title. The phrase, historically rooted in Ming Dynasty China and later popularized by Mao Zedong to describe an enemy that appears powerful but is ultimately weak, was recently invoked by former President Donald Trump when discussing Vladimir Putin’s military efforts in Ukraine.
Trump took to Truth Social a year ago to write, “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger,'” following weeks of conflict that he argued a real military power could have ended quickly. Gray noted that he had finished filming his crime drama before Trump began using the terminology.
“It’s very weird because I wrote and made [“Paper Tiger”] before [Trump] ever started using that term,” Gray said. “It had nothing to do with him…. It’s sort of like half frightening, weirdly flattering. I don’t know. What would you think?”
The film follows Gary (Driver), a former police officer who drags his brother Irwin (Teller) into a dangerous transaction with Russian mobsters. The family is further destabilized when Irwin’s wife, Hester (Johansson), faces a sudden health crisis. Gary initially dismisses the mobsters as harmless, only to realize the severity of his miscalculation.
Gray described the movie as an evolution of his earlier autobiographical work, including “Armageddon Time.” Initially conceived as a sequel focusing on his mother’s battle with glioblastoma, the narrative shifted after Gray’s father became involved in criminal activity. He explained that the “paper tiger” metaphor also reflects the fragility beneath the American Dream, illustrating how systems that appear navigable can consume ordinary families.
Questions regarding whether Trump himself fits the description proved more elusive for the director. When asked about the former president’s political maneuvering, specifically a newly announced trilateral peace agreement involving Ukraine and Russia, Gray remained noncommittal.
“No comment,” Gray smirked, declining to answer.
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