One to wonder about
"Wonder Boys"
Overall Rating: ****
This review gave me fierce writer's block. It might have had something to do with the subject matter of the film--a film about writers, college professors, and literature majors hits close to home for me. More likely, it's that while "Wonder Boys" is very good, there's something wrong with it that I can't put my finger on. In any event, this is one film that left me wondering what to say.
Prof. Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas), the author of a great novel (both in literary and sales terms), is having the most chaotic day of his life. His wife left him that morning, and she couldn't have picked a worse day--it's the first day of Wordfest, his university's writers' festival. Tripp's editor, Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey Jr.) and his homosexual lover are coming to town for the festival. Crabtree desperately wants to see Tripp's latest book, only Tripp hasn't finished it yet (he's on page 2611, and still writing). Then he goes to the reception for the festival--held at the house of Susan Gaskell (Frances McDromand), the chancellor of his department and his lover. When he tries to tell her about his wife, she drops a bombshell of her own: she's pregnant, by him. Subsequently, he runs into James Leer (Tobey Maguire) at the party. Things get truly chaotic when the Gaskell's dog attacks Tripp, and Leer shoots the dog.
This film is an actors' film more than any other recent production. Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire are both excellent. Tripp is the main cause of his own woes, but Douglas makes Tripp a likeable character anyway, and when Tripp overcomes those flaws, it's that much better. Maguire also makes his melancholy prodigy, who seems like a cross between Will Hunting from "Good Will Hunting" and Ricky Fitts from "American Beauty," the perfect foil to Tripp, into whose life he brings so much chaos. Coupled with a strong supporting cast, the two lead actors make the film a joy to watch.
"Wonder Boys" also has an interesting story. It's ahead of the game, having a plot that makes perfect sense. The wit is always sharp, obvious from the opening moments when we hear just how sensitive the writing class really is. "Wonder Boys" also has some nice touches. For instance, Prof. Tripp's name is highly appropriate, considering the amount of drugs he consumes. A subplot with Tripp's car develops nicely (pay close attention to what Tripp says about how he got the car--it will be important later on). What ultimately happens with Tripp's massive novel is also absolutely perfect.
Where I get lost is on what went wrong. Douglas and Maguire both deliver brilliant performances, and the movie itself is well written. Somehow, though, the movie doesn't come together the way it should. Coming from a movie critic, I realize that that's very vague. Maybe it's just that the movie goes too far. While academia is crazy, it's not as crazy as the movie depicts--I can go on record that I have never shot any of my professors' pets. In any case, I don't mean to make "Wonder Boys" sound like a disaster--it certainly isn't. In the end, I gave "Wonder Boys" the benefit of the doubt and four stars as an overall rating--but not without hesitation.
Parents will probably want to be careful with this one. There is some violence and some sexual content, though that's not how the film earns its R rating. There is copious strong language, and pervasive drug use. The characters also take a very casual attitude towards gun safety, and there are some questionable student-teacher relationships (a suggested sexual interest, and a scene where Tripp shares some dope with one of his students).
"Wonder Boys" lampoons the literary and academic worlds very nicely. While something that I can't quite put my finger on bothered me about "Wonder Boys," it still has a delightful story that's well presented.
Title: "Wonder Boys"
Release date: February 25, 2000
Overall Rating: ****
This review gave me fierce writer's block. It might have had something to do with the subject matter of the film--a film about writers, college professors, and literature majors hits close to home for me. More likely, it's that while "Wonder Boys" is very good, there's something wrong with it that I can't put my finger on. In any event, this is one film that left me wondering what to say.
Prof. Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas), the author of a great novel (both in literary and sales terms), is having the most chaotic day of his life. His wife left him that morning, and she couldn't have picked a worse day--it's the first day of Wordfest, his university's writers' festival. Tripp's editor, Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey Jr.) and his homosexual lover are coming to town for the festival. Crabtree desperately wants to see Tripp's latest book, only Tripp hasn't finished it yet (he's on page 2611, and still writing). Then he goes to the reception for the festival--held at the house of Susan Gaskell (Frances McDromand), the chancellor of his department and his lover. When he tries to tell her about his wife, she drops a bombshell of her own: she's pregnant, by him. Subsequently, he runs into James Leer (Tobey Maguire) at the party. Things get truly chaotic when the Gaskell's dog attacks Tripp, and Leer shoots the dog.
This film is an actors' film more than any other recent production. Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire are both excellent. Tripp is the main cause of his own woes, but Douglas makes Tripp a likeable character anyway, and when Tripp overcomes those flaws, it's that much better. Maguire also makes his melancholy prodigy, who seems like a cross between Will Hunting from "Good Will Hunting" and Ricky Fitts from "American Beauty," the perfect foil to Tripp, into whose life he brings so much chaos. Coupled with a strong supporting cast, the two lead actors make the film a joy to watch.
"Wonder Boys" also has an interesting story. It's ahead of the game, having a plot that makes perfect sense. The wit is always sharp, obvious from the opening moments when we hear just how sensitive the writing class really is. "Wonder Boys" also has some nice touches. For instance, Prof. Tripp's name is highly appropriate, considering the amount of drugs he consumes. A subplot with Tripp's car develops nicely (pay close attention to what Tripp says about how he got the car--it will be important later on). What ultimately happens with Tripp's massive novel is also absolutely perfect.
Where I get lost is on what went wrong. Douglas and Maguire both deliver brilliant performances, and the movie itself is well written. Somehow, though, the movie doesn't come together the way it should. Coming from a movie critic, I realize that that's very vague. Maybe it's just that the movie goes too far. While academia is crazy, it's not as crazy as the movie depicts--I can go on record that I have never shot any of my professors' pets. In any case, I don't mean to make "Wonder Boys" sound like a disaster--it certainly isn't. In the end, I gave "Wonder Boys" the benefit of the doubt and four stars as an overall rating--but not without hesitation.
Parents will probably want to be careful with this one. There is some violence and some sexual content, though that's not how the film earns its R rating. There is copious strong language, and pervasive drug use. The characters also take a very casual attitude towards gun safety, and there are some questionable student-teacher relationships (a suggested sexual interest, and a scene where Tripp shares some dope with one of his students).
"Wonder Boys" lampoons the literary and academic worlds very nicely. While something that I can't quite put my finger on bothered me about "Wonder Boys," it still has a delightful story that's well presented.
Title: "Wonder Boys"
Release date: February 25, 2000
MPAA rating: R
Overall rating: ****
Overall rating: ****
Aprox. run time: 112 min.
Director: Curtis Hanson
Writers: Michael Chabon (novel), Steven Kloves
Stars: Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire
Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/Wonder.htm
Director: Curtis Hanson
Writers: Michael Chabon (novel), Steven Kloves
Stars: Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire
Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/Wonder.htm
Added to blog site: 8/5/09
Labels: Movie review, ReviewsbyJohn
posted by John at 3/09/2000 04:42:00 AM
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