Wonder Boys
Added 3/7/2010
Grady Tripp is a professor/writer living in Pittsburgh who is struggling with writer's block. Whilst doing this, he also manages to get the chancellor pregnant. In the meantime, he and a college student, James Leer are trying to find a rare jacket once owned by Marilyn Monroe, and a college girl, Hannah Green boarding with Grady has a bit of a crush on him. `The Wonder Boys'. this character is not a stereotypical teacher but a fantastically original creation emphasized by Douglas winning performance. The acting is flawless, with at least two superb supporting roles. Robert Downey jr sparkles in his role, but it is Tobey Maguire who makes you feel he has always been that awkward, deadpan student that is James Leer. Fresh, funny and entertaining.
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LIFE IS STORY. STORY AS ART. IT'S ALL HERE.
Added 3/5/2010
This absorbing and entertaining character-driven story examines a weekend in the mid-life crisis of former one-novel literary wunderkind Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) as he attempts to reclaim his career and his life.
Douglas delivers perhaps his best performance as Tripp, an aging writing professor at a small Pittsburg college who's laboring on his endless 2000 plus page, seven years in the making, second novel. The morning we meet him is the college's big WordFest weekend. His wife has just left him and his mistress (Frances McDormand), announces she's pregnant. Oh yes, she's also the chancellor of the school -- and the wife of his boss.
Grady's editor (Robert Downey Jr.), determined to finally read the highly-anticipated new book, is in town with his transvestite date.
Katie Holmes is an ambitious live-in student who is eager to ease Grady's pain.
And then there's James Leer (Tobey Maguire), the eccentric and brilliant writing student who's the fuse that ignites Grady's volatile weekend.
Before long, there's a dead, blind dog, a stolen car, and Marilyn Monroe's jacket thrown into the mix.
Director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) and screenwriter Steve Kloves (adapting from Michael Chabon's acclaimed novel) delivered a consistently surprising, droll, heartfelt and often hilarious film experience that's worth revisiting.
Life is story. Story as art. It's all here.
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Wonderfully jaded and askew...
Added 2/15/2010
There have been too few times when I've wandered across such a fun and entertaining experience as 'Wonder Boys'. Every performance seemed spot-on, even those from actors that I'm not usually enamored with. There didn't seem to be any wrong steps taken here, from writing, to casting, to directing and post production. Each of the characters are contending with such an avalanche of personal peccadilloes, quirks, and professional quandaries, that you can't help but feel affectionate pity for them. Even when their faults range into a less than admirable zone, there's plenty of room left for compassion and laughter.
Michael Douglas has turned in many fine performances over the years, including many of a more serious nature, but I can't think of a finer creation than his turn as professor Grady Tripp. It's been too many years since his critically acclaimed novel was published. He's marking time while teaching creative writing, and struggling to get his follow-up novel off the ground. Things would be easier if his life weren't such a train-wreck of dope smoking, fainting spells, professionally dangerous infidelity, and other irresponsibility. His editor is in town to poke and probe about progress on his overdue novel, and it's the kind of eccentric role that Robert Downey, Jr. does best. Along for the ride is Grady's gifted, troubled, and hilariously quirky student played by Tobey Maguire, and the university chancellor, who also happens to be Grady's partner in infidelity, played by Frances McDormond. Even Katie Holmes turns in a performance that works, as Grady's sultry student boarder, compulsively clad in red cowboy boots.
The story is compressed into one hectic weekend, a writers festival and workshop hosted by the university. There are enough mini catastrophes to keep everyone off balance, and you, the viewer, smiling if not laughing out loud. As comedy, it's slightly dark and off color, and full of messy, lovable humanity.
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Writer's Block? Not!
Added 8/30/2009
The year 2000 saw the release of The Wonder Boys, a tale of a washed-up, one-hit wonder novelist who ends up in a university teaching writing. Michael Douglas plays Grady Tripp, a guy who smokes pot to get through his day, and meeting up with his gay publisher.
As the movie progresses, marching out these cast of characters, I was struck by the chemistry of the actors. Katie Holmes, an aspiring writer herself, wants more than a student/teacher conference, but the script does not play her up well. Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) plays the gay publisher, who has not had a hit ever since Grady's successful novel, though it's been seven years.
No, the focus is on Tobey Mcguire's (Spider-man) character, James Leer, who is a chronic liar, runs away from his rich parents and his only saving grace is his writing. James shoots a blind dog and steals a Marilyn Monroe jacket for kicks and Grady tries to get him through it.
Surviving the weekend, Grady makes some choices in his life including giving an angst-ridden writer (who has many problems) a chance at a novel.
I was intrigued by the chemistry and the writing really helped this film, although slow at times and a bit tiresome as the plot plods along. Grady wants the chancellor, played by Frances McDormand (Fargo). I don't get what he sees in this plain, stoic woman who can't make up her mind about Grady and frankly treats him like crap.
Good film for film and writing students to see, R-rated for drug use.
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wonder boys
Added 5/10/2009
GOOD QUALITY DVD.I HAD OWNED IT ON VHS AND BOUGHT IT AGAIN ON DVD.RECEIVED IT IN QUICKLY AND WAS REASONABLY PRICED.
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Wonder Boys
Added 3/7/2010
Grady Tripp is a professor/writer living in Pittsburgh who is struggling with writer's block. Whilst doing this, he also manages to get the chancellor pregnant. In the meantime, he and a college student, James Leer are trying to find a rare jacket once owned by Marilyn Monroe, and a college girl, Hannah Green boarding with Grady has a bit of a crush on him. `The Wonder Boys'. this character is not a stereotypical teacher but a fantastically original creation emphasized by Douglas winning performance. The acting is flawless, with at least two superb supporting roles. Robert Downey jr sparkles in his role, but it is Tobey Maguire who makes you feel he has always been that awkward, deadpan student that is James Leer. Fresh, funny and entertaining.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
LIFE IS STORY. STORY AS ART. IT'S ALL HERE.
Added 3/5/2010
This absorbing and entertaining character-driven story examines a weekend in the mid-life crisis of former one-novel literary wunderkind Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) as he attempts to reclaim his career and his life.
Douglas delivers perhaps his best performance as Tripp, an aging writing professor at a small Pittsburg college who's laboring on his endless 2000 plus page, seven years in the making, second novel. The morning we meet him is the college's big WordFest weekend. His wife has just left him and his mistress (Frances McDormand), announces she's pregnant. Oh yes, she's also the chancellor of the school -- and the wife of his boss.
Grady's editor (Robert Downey Jr.), determined to finally read the highly-anticipated new book, is in town with his transvestite date.
Katie Holmes is an ambitious live-in student who is eager to ease Grady's pain.
And then there's James Leer (Tobey Maguire), the eccentric and brilliant writing student who's the fuse that ignites Grady's volatile weekend.
Before long, there's a dead, blind dog, a stolen car, and Marilyn Monroe's jacket thrown into the mix.
Director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) and screenwriter Steve Kloves (adapting from Michael Chabon's acclaimed novel) delivered a consistently surprising, droll, heartfelt and often hilarious film experience that's worth revisiting.
Life is story. Story as art. It's all here.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Wonderfully jaded and askew...
Added 2/15/2010
There have been too few times when I've wandered across such a fun and entertaining experience as 'Wonder Boys'. Every performance seemed spot-on, even those from actors that I'm not usually enamored with. There didn't seem to be any wrong steps taken here, from writing, to casting, to directing and post production. Each of the characters are contending with such an avalanche of personal peccadilloes, quirks, and professional quandaries, that you can't help but feel affectionate pity for them. Even when their faults range into a less than admirable zone, there's plenty of room left for compassion and laughter.
Michael Douglas has turned in many fine performances over the years, including many of a more serious nature, but I can't think of a finer creation than his turn as professor Grady Tripp. It's been too many years since his critically acclaimed novel was published. He's marking time while teaching creative writing, and struggling to get his follow-up novel off the ground. Things would be easier if his life weren't such a train-wreck of dope smoking, fainting spells, professionally dangerous infidelity, and other irresponsibility. His editor is in town to poke and probe about progress on his overdue novel, and it's the kind of eccentric role that Robert Downey, Jr. does best. Along for the ride is Grady's gifted, troubled, and hilariously quirky student played by Tobey Maguire, and the university chancellor, who also happens to be Grady's partner in infidelity, played by Frances McDormond. Even Katie Holmes turns in a performance that works, as Grady's sultry student boarder, compulsively clad in red cowboy boots.
The story is compressed into one hectic weekend, a writers festival and workshop hosted by the university. There are enough mini catastrophes to keep everyone off balance, and you, the viewer, smiling if not laughing out loud. As comedy, it's slightly dark and off color, and full of messy, lovable humanity.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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