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WONDER BOYS Send This Review to a Friend
With Michael Douglas in one of his best roles, "Wonder Boys" is almost too good to be successful. Its very low-key, easygoing style and attitude is out of step with the sort of mindless films that become box office smashes. But here is a work that deserves to be applauded heartily and be a contender for the year 2000 best lists. It was written by Steve Kloves from Michael Chabon's novel, and taking advantage of the intelligent script and a strong cast, Curtis Hanson ("L.A. Confidential") has directed it with an under-your-skin tone in the vein of Robert Altman's "Cookie's Fortune."
This time Douglas plays Professor Grady Tripp, the author of a best-selling novel fading into the past and teacher-mentor to his literature students at a college in Pittsburgh. Tripp is somewhat of a mess, grizzled and campus-sloppy, prone to smoking marijuana more than he should and on occasion blacking out. His wife has just left him, and he's been having an affair with married Sara Gaskell, who holds an administrative position at the college. One of his brightest students, James Leer, is a would-be author but also very strange. Another student, Hannah, is a nubile young woman who obviously is giving her professor come-on moves, and would be his for the taking. Add a bad case of writer's block with Tripp's new attempt at a novel. Such is the set-up that evolves into romantic, literary, employment and lawbreaking complications, partly triggered by the appearance on campus of Tripp's editor, Terry Crabtree, who has problems of his own.
Douglas eases into his role with a perfect fit, and it is enjoyable to see him in this mature but often bewildered state. The character is solidly interesting, as is the story, built around a campus literary event called Wordfest. Frances McDormand plays Sara in a no-nonsense manner despite the emotional and logistical conflicts stemming from her love affair. As usual, it is a pleasure to watch a McDormand performance. Tobey Maguire brings an originality and eerie detachment to the role of the mentally astute Leer, who on the one hand appears to be a lost soul and on the other can be very calculating. As Hannah, Katie Holmes is enjoyably provocative. As for Crabtree, Robert Downey, Jr., plays him as flamboyant and manipulative, making the most of his liking young men, or transvestites, as the case may be, and all the while quietly desperate under his agent's bravado.
I can't say how much resemblance there is between this institute of learning and the real world, but enough is happening for a dozen universities, and the beauty of the film is that it builds incident upon incident in a relaxed manner, always with elements of wit in the characterizations and situations. There is also delightful humor as the characters muddle through. "Wonder Boys" offers that rare film combination--entertainment and intelligence. A Paramount pictures release.
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