Wonder Boys

2000 "Undependable. Unpredictable. Unforgettable."
7.2| 1h51m| R| en| More Info
Released: 22 February 2000 Released
Producted By: Paramount Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years—not since he wrote his award winning 'Great American Novel' 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.

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Reviews

Dorathen Better Late Then Never
Senteur As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.
Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?
Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
kennethraine This film is of the eccentric genre much like Harold Pinters The Caretaker. I felt, given the dialogue it should have been hilarious instead of quite continuously full of giggles, which it undoubtedly was. There is always a danger in transferring the written word from book form to stage play or film, in that meaning, nuance and timing are detrimentally changed. I think this is a case in point, though personally its at the "feel" level, i.e. I am aware something is just missing without knowing what it is in specific terms. I wonder if the author was collaborative and approving of Steve Kloves screenplay.It was as if sometimes the eccentric build up needed a conclusion or a punch line, even a throw away line. Even in excellent subtle work, the conclusion has to be "packaged" in nuance. I still loved its comical eccentricity, yet I sensed a work of genius unrealised.
ereinion This 2000 Curtis Hanson film was the second best he made after L.A. Confidential and together with Bedroom Window. It is a story of two people of completely different background, a middle aged writing professor and his student and protégé. The professor, played by Michael Douglas in one of his strongest roles, is going thru a crisis and drinks a lot, after his younger wife has left him. He is also having problems finishing his second book. The young and bright but troubled protégé is played by Tobey Maguire. Then there is also Douglas' eccentric and flamboyant editor and friend played by the excellent Robert Downey Jr. A guy who is a swinger and according to Douglas "is gay, or thinks he is". Katie Holmes also appears as another of Douglas' students who is smitten with him but he rejects her advances.There are also a few really amusing side characters, such as the man Douglas and Downey Jr. dub VERNON HARDAPPLE, who gives the movie a comical edge. The whole movie is somewhat of a dark comedy really, with scenes like the one where Maguire kills a dog who attacked Douglas and Douglas has to keep his body in the trunk of his car for a week or at the end where the manuscript for his latest book flies away. When he's asked by Downey Jr if he has a copy, he replies "I have an alternative ending of the second chapter". This is what is so enjoyable with this movie: not only is it a character study drama but also a humorous oddball comedy with some exciting plot twists. In the end the roles are almost switched as Douglas the mentor starts to learn from Maguire the protégé and discovers that he has talent. This also helps him revitalize his own talent and get his life back on track. Frances McDormand also appears as Douglas' love interest who is also the chancellor of the university where he works and is pregnant with his child. Really enjoyable and trippy film, a semi-classic. Hanson once again hit bullseye with this.
Sonu Pannu Wonder Boys is a unique comedy that lets you see what the characters are going through. The movie presents itself a pleasant and strange characters and see what is about to occur in every little bit. Wonder Boys achieves to be both a delightful character study and also a stunning success directed into a nice joint piece. It is fairly uplifting to see characters cooperate, contrast,connect, laugh, and mostly do things that appear in full honesty. While it's not a flawless movie, Wonder Boys is applauded for its sharp and smart script and bountiful of great acting. Grady is having a bumpy day. His wife left him, his girlfriend is pregnant, he has an attractive looking student whom rents a room from him, and his editor shows up at his city with a transvestite, and one of his students shows up at a party with a gun. As the viewers, we're in for one hell of entertaining ride.When a flick like Wonder Boys works in nearly all sizes, the greatest attention is rewarded to the actors and actresses. Michael Douglas was pleasant to watch in this movie. Frances McDormand modestly glosses. Katie Holmes was all-out excellent in her character. She's relaxed and smart, and a harsh one as well. As continuously, Robert Downey Jr. is funny and hazardous. He accepts much jeopardy as an actor. The one who mounted out the most for me is Tobey Maguire, smart, shy, weird, and funny was the type of character he played. The kind of guy you stay away from if you were to encounter one in school.Wonder Boys prepares what any upright film would do: It provides characters to like and a script that expresses a charming story.
Foxbarking I was the assistant manager of a Crown Book store when "Wonder Boys" was in the theater. Before then, I had never read any Michael Chabon books or really had even heard of him (which is surprising since I was a book store manager). My manager knew that I was gay and he recommended the film to me because of the gay characters. It seems funny in retrospect because I generally get offended when someone assumes I will like something just because there are some gay overtones or characters in it.I saw "Wonder Boys" in the perfect setting. It was an afternoon showing in January, in an empty theater on a cold and snowy day. I had no idea what to expect but absolutely loved the movie. All of the actors were phenomenal. The story was great and involving. I fell in love with the soundtrack.The only thing that confused me is that it made no sense to me that the movie was called "Wonder Boys." It was only upon reading the Michael Chabon novel that it was revealed that the 2000 plus page book Grady was writing was titled "Wonder Boys," as it was about several siblings with the surname of Wonder.I watch this great movie several times a year. The movie alone is worth watching for the great scenes with Vernon Hardapple. "Quit calling me Vernon!" The best thing this movie did, though, was connect me to the books of Michael Chabon. Though "Wonder Boys" the novel is extremely different than "Wonder Boys" the movie, they stand together as my favorite movie and book. I recommend both.