Brilliant ensemble cast, in particular Tobey Maguire and Michael Douglas in a comedy-drama which is funny, but not over-the-top, and dramatic, but not too heavy handed, as it treads the line perfectly.
You don't know what to expect in this film. It has a great setting and says a lot about how you need to know yourself and be true to that. A fine lead performance from Michael Douglas elevates it.
Had the amazing experience to drop by a my old job, at a film archive, and got to see a recently acquired print screened to make sure it was in good shape. Still an amazing film.
Even while reading the book, I knew the film would omit the whole Jewish family sequence, one of my very favorites, so that's where the film starts to derail a bit. In fact, while the movie's casting and acting can't be impeached, and the director does well with the material, it's the script that injects bad movie clichés into the story in order to connect the dots. The movie's coming of age ending for James is saccharine sweet and awful. If the novel is a coming of age story, it's a belated one for Grady Tripp, a man who has coasted all his life and avoided making choices. He finally grows up. Though the film brings that theme into focus even more than the book, it does take away his final choice in the ending. I miss that little boat.
Absurd and non-believable characters and situations.
Evenmore the title is 'wonder boys', but in fact it is about
an inmature post-middle-age crisis man who is going to find some kind of happiness by breaking another marriage... where are the boys? and mainly, what is so 'wonder' about anybody in this movie?
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MM
Brilliant ensemble cast, in particular Tobey Maguire and Michael Douglas in a comedy-drama which is funny, but not over-the-top, and dramatic, but not too heavy handed, as it treads the line perfectly.aussieflickfan
You don't know what to expect in this film. It has a great setting and says a lot about how you need to know yourself and be true to that. A fine lead performance from Michael Douglas elevates it.CSSCHNEIDER
Had the amazing experience to drop by a my old job, at a film archive, and got to see a recently acquired print screened to make sure it was in good shape. Still an amazing film.arunraj
Great performance from Douglas.....fine movieSiskoid
Even while reading the book, I knew the film would omit the whole Jewish family sequence, one of my very favorites, so that's where the film starts to derail a bit. In fact, while the movie's casting and acting can't be impeached, and the director does well with the material, it's the script that injects bad movie clichés into the story in order to connect the dots. The movie's coming of age ending for James is saccharine sweet and awful. If the novel is a coming of age story, it's a belated one for Grady Tripp, a man who has coasted all his life and avoided making choices. He finally grows up. Though the film brings that theme into focus even more than the book, it does take away his final choice in the ending. I miss that little boat.Windill
I loved it. The cynical, sarcastic humor of this movie is just the one I like. Perfect casting.danisanna
I found this to be a very odd movie, but so charming and beautiful.josue.a.o
Absurd and non-believable characters and situations.Evenmore the title is 'wonder boys', but in fact it is about