Wonderful World

If you've seen a recent Bill Murray movie (Broken Flowers, etc) maybe you know what I'm talking about. Movies like this carry a certain vibe that's hard to explain... they feel cold, lonely, witty but sad and slightly nostalgic.

I suppose it's because there's a lot of silence, not a lot of emotion (despite emotional circumstances), and the scenes are bright but not colourful. If you've ever been in a hospital waiting room, that's the feeling.

"Wonderful World" is one of those films about a-day-in-the-life-of-a-schmuck, which are generally fun to watch (the best being "Buffalo 66"... if you haven't seen it GO SEE IT NOW). But I was left a little unfulfilled by WW. I think it's because it portrays the world as a really nasty, unjust place. Sure, that's whole the point of a-day-in-the-life-of-a-schmuck movies, but in this case it was just torturous.

I also thought Matthew Broderick was slightly miscast. Through no fault of his own, he has too much of a youthful, innocent look to come across as a bitter cynic, which is what this film demanded. Still, his acting was excellent (absolutely brilliant in some scenes), and if you like Broderick it'll be fun to see him in this very uncharacteristic role.

If you like slow & heavy comedy-dramas like "The Weather Man" or "Magnolia" or possibly "The Majestic" (though these films are not really comedies), you might like "Wonderful World".

I saw this movie at the Tribeca Film Festival this past spring, and I was truly moved. It reminds me of "It's a Wonderful Life", one of those movies that really touches the soul. It's the story of a man who gets tripped up by his own negativity (reminds me of my husband!), but is actually a good person, and yearns to connect. It features Matthew Broderick's best performance since "Election", and I cried at the end. As did my two friends who came with me. We were totally unprepared to be so swept away by emotion. So many films these days are mindless crap, but this one is authentic and honest, and very very funny. I want the soundtrack too!

Also for "The Wire" fans, it also stars Omar, a.k.a Michael Williams, one of the greatest actors working today.

This is one of those quiet, well made movies that usually don't make any money. However, it makes you think. It makes you think about your life, what you have to be thankful for and how life's events dictate how you feel about yourself. This is a very well written, clever, idealistic script by Joshua Goldin. He also does a great job in directing it. I hope that this movie gets the opportunity for wide release sometime soon.

Matthew Broderick plays the title role and it's his best role in a very long time, probably since Election. He finally has an opportunity to explore a character and his transformation from pessimist to optimist is quite enjoyable as well as touching to witness. He is surrounded by a great supporting cast, Sanna Lathan, who is a beautiful and strong Sengalese woman he is touched by. Also, Jodelle Ferland, who has such terrific chemistry with Broderick that it's a such a joy to watch their scenes.

I highly recommend this movie.

This is a problem often found in films where characters speak with foreign accents. There is a key conversation between Ben Singer (Broderick) and Ibu (Williams) over a chess game earlier in the film. The director didn't have the experience to slow the cadence so that the audience can hear AND understand. Consequently, some of the conversation is lost in the struggle to parse the words. Unfortunately, that dialog becomes key to the most powerful scene of the film which takes place very near the end. So, my advice is to listen carefully Otherwise, it's a good film, though the pace slows enough to suggest it's not going anywhere during the middle of the film.

I tend to see the true story and plot, and very well, because you see, it is many people's story. Hey! it is, to a large extent, my story in parts.

Ben is like many of us - a washed-out entertainer who has developed a cynical view or life, and a jaded point of view with many issues. The fact that he loses his job, loses communication with his only daughter, is forced to deliver pizza, does not help the man's character, but embitters it. I can relate to that. Like Ben, I am a thinker, who does not believe in taking things lying down. I would have gone all the way like he did when the city tow truck towed his car just when his dear Senegalese friend Ibou relapsed into diabetic shock and needed to get to a hospital.

But then, when Ibou's sister Khadi came from Senegal to help take care of him, changes sparked in Ben, slowly at first, almost imperceptible, then more and more pronounced. How could you not fall in love with the curvy Khadi, with her beautiful raw African features, her womanly confidence and her vision of "magic"? No pretentiousness here, no overbearing or meddling - quite the contrary. You tend to admire the inner strength of such women, so akin to their culture and ways of life. I once met a woman like that from Nigeria, whose brother worked as an Engineer in the local Shell corp. The way she moved, her similar dress and grooming, made me look twice and say: "Now THAT is a woman!" Sadly, as in Ben's case, yes, such a relationship is fraught with difficulties, chiefly because of the distance between 2 Worlds. She was uncomfortable in our 'civilized' World, and Ben would not be able to adapt well in hers. Besides, he wanted to resurrect his singing career, and Senegal would not have been the right place, maybe. That too was my case with the girl in question.. However, by then Ben understood 2 things - one of them being that he was a good man, a man without racial prejudice, open, simple and unpretentious. Such men are hard to come by these days. The second thing he realized I will not say. I will leave you to view the movie, and come to your own conclusions.

So it's not the stomping, heart-throbbing drama like you see in other movies, but it will keep you interested and thinking all the way, and that, my friends, is basically what a good story is all about. Fine acting, plausible story, so true to real life. Well worth the 10 points!