I am a keen movie goer and have dabbled in making the odd amateur movie myself (check out my home pa...
I am a keen movie goer and have dabbled in making the odd amateur movie myself (check out my home page for more). I used to spend a lot of time writing reviews of the movies I watched with only a limited audience. Now, with ciao I can share my reviews...
Member since:31.07.2000
Reviews:64
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The film:
Wonder Boys tell the stories of various people, all of whom have some link to the literary world, over the course of a couple of days. The central character, played by Michael Douglas, is a writer and college lecturer who is finding it difficult to write his next novel. Well in fact it is more the case that he just can't stop writing it. The deadline for the novel's completion having passed seven years ago.
Film such as this are hard to summarise concisely. Rather like Magnolia there is no firm plot. We are just treated to watching a few peoples lives for a while, and what a nice treat it is.
This film has moments of tragedy and comedy and sometime even combines the two. There are moments when I felt the film was becoming to serious and hard to watch but quite skilfully the director at this point chooses to inject some very funny light relief.
In all, Wonder Boys is a film that is hard to summarise. The film starts and ends with loose ends that are never intended to be completely tied up.
This is an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. It's not the most cheerful of films but it not going to depress you either.
The Cast:
Michael Douglas - plays the writer and college lecturer who is struggling to finish writing his next novel (after the critical acclaim of his previous). He is addicted to writing and simply cannot stop. Michael Douglas is impressive once again and I only hope he continues to accept the challenging a original roles that he has played over recent years. It takes an extremely good actor to actually make you BELIEVE 100% that they are a writer not an actor pretending to be one.
Tobey Maguire - plays one of Douglas's students. He is treated by his college friends as a weirdo and deep down he is fairly strange but he is by far the most skilled of writer amongst his peers. Tobey Maguire is superb at playing the type of person who you never quite know whether you should trust as an innocent friend or should steer well clear of out of fear for your life.
Frances McDormand - plays the lover that Douglas's character is having an affair with. This is a fairly small role but the few scenes she has with Douglas are a joy to watch.
Katie Holmes - an extremely small role playing a student whom lives in Douglas's house and is a semi-friend to Maguire's character. She is also infatuated by Douglas's character. I can't help but feel that this character was only included to serve as a link between the other more used players. I would have been happier to have seen her used more and to greater affect.
Robert Downey Jr. - plays Douglas's publisher who is desperate to get his hands on the seven-year overdue book. This is the most comical character in the film.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Wonder Boysis one of those films in which more twists and turns disrupt the life of the ... more
hero in one weekend than would bother most of us our whole lives. Professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) is an aging one-novel wunderkind at a small Pittsburgh col...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
An unfinished novel a stolen car a murdered pet and a failing marriage are just a few of ... more
the crises piling up like a logjam in this often hilarious story of bright promise gone awry. During a single hectic weekend college professor Grady Tripp (Mic...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
An unfinished novel a stolen car a murdered pet and a failing marriage are just a few of ... more
the crises piling up like a logjam in this often hilarious story of bright promise gone awry. During a single hectic weekend college professor Grady Tripp (Mic...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Some good performances. Handful of laughs. Downey and Maguire. Disadvantages: Boring at times. Feels it wants to be zany but instead tries for too much sentiment. Bad ending.
Darius 27.05.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Wonder Boys (DVD)
Advantages: The sharp script and lead performance from Micheal Douglas, well supported by a fine cast. Disadvantages: This won't appeal to some and can drag in a few places.
Mercury 18.06.2001 (18.06.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Wonder Boys (DVD)
Advantages: Some good performances. Handful of laughs. Downey and Maguire. Disadvantages: Boring at times. Feels it wants to be zany but instead tries for too much sentiment. Bad ending.
Darius 27.05.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Wonder Boys (DVD)
![Wonder Boys [DVD] [2000]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78523971.jpg "Wonder Boys [DVD] [2000]")
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