Superboy's X-Ray vision may reveal a little more than you want to see here about WONDER BOYS, the latest from Curtis Hanson who knocked us all on our butts with LA CONFIDENTIAL a while back so ol' FATHER GEEK advises you to read on at your own risk... You have been warned!
I didn't think to much of Curtis Hanson before two years ago when I saw "L.A. Confidential". That film just blew me away, as it did with most people I guess. Now Hanson is here again with the film entitled "Wonder Boys". Again a much different film from what he has done before, but it shows us that he is a relly good director.
Just like "L.A. Confidential" the cast here is simply superb. Michael Douglas stars as college professor/writer Grady Tripp. He is heading for the downside of his life. The chancellor of the college (Frances McDormand) is pregnant and Grady is "the suspect". At least that's what everybody except Grady thinks because he has absolutely no idea of how he could be in such a position! He's convinced that it's not his baby. It can't be! But Grady has more important problems to think about. His writing isn't going very well, and his publisher (Robert Downey Jr.) is more and more demanding of new material. And if that wasn't enough Grady has to worry about one of his students, Hannah (Katie Holmes) who has a crush on him. That's a dilemma for Grady because as he says; "She's not exactly a child!", but he also knows that his "favorite" student (Tobey Maguire) who he has a very good relationship with, is in love with Hannah. So oh horror, horror, what is a man to do? Well, Grady finds a way out of it all. In a way that I don't think a lot of guys would do it. One thing is for sure. We find out that this pleasant professor isn't a very nice man. Or maybe he just have a problem thinking about anyone else but himself. It's hard to say more about it without giving any spoilers because the story has so many twist. And that what's great about it.
Oh, yeah Marilyn Monroe has something to do with the story too!
As I said the performances is suberb. Douglas is always great and Tobey Maguire really shows what he can do. In the part as a really strange but very gifted student. Downey Jr (how on earth has he the time do do all these movies when he's supposed to be in the slammer?) is simply helarious as the scandalous publisher. I don't really know what has happened to Frances McDormand since "Fargo" but her performance here is respectable. And Katie Holmes proves here, as she did in her first role; "The Ice Storm" (with Maguire), that she's one to watch out for. Her performance here is without a doubt her best so far. The character is a bit like the one she had in the fabulous "Go" but she seems more attractive in this part. Which is exactly what she's supposed to. She's the "femme fatale" of the story.
The performances makes this movie... I wouldn't say a "must see" but it's very, very close. In my book I'll give it 3.5 out of 5 . And I guess that's kind of ok for a film that is both funny and actually has a very interesting story. But I don't think Curtis Hanson has done all that much here. The movie is watchable only becauce of the performances and the script, But it's still definately a worthy followup on "L.A. Confidential" for him.
That's the end from me - "Superboy"
