Published at: May 23, 2000, 5:37 a.m. CST by staff
Greetings, citizens! ROBOGEEK here, bidding you Good Tidings of Great Joy.
Every once in awhile, studio execs actually make an intelligent decision. Sometimes they even go so far as to admit they screwed up. Granted, this borders dangerously on a sign of the apocalypse, but is often well worth the risk.
Yesterday I was pleased as punch to hear (read) Variety announce that the good folks at Paramount are planning to re-release my favorite movie of the year so far, Curtis ("L.A. Confidential") Hanson's gleefully fantastic WONDER BOYS, starring Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Tobey Maguire, Robert Downey, Jr., and Katie Holmes. (Visit www.wonderboysmovie.com for more info.)
I absolutely LOVE this movie, and here's why. For me, a great movie is principally predicated on a.) characters you want to spend time with, and b.) a story you want to be wrapped up in -- just like curling up with a good book. Well, WONDER BOYS (based on the 1995 Michael Chabon novel) has characters I immediately connected with, and wanted to hang out with. Actually, I would have been thrilled to pieces to be able stay in that darkened theater all day with them, just... hanging out. As I told Harry afterwards, "this movie understands me."
WONDER BOYS is about... well, part of me doesn't even want to tell you. In a way, it's best if you see this movie not knowing anything, just that these are characters you want to hang out with for a couple hours. Trust me.
But if you want more info, the official website is actually pretty good -- assuming you aren't scared off by the front page (which you can bypass by going to www.wonderboysmovie.com/intro.html). Basically [SPOILERS!], Michael Douglas plays a celebrated writer/professor who's been slaving away at the long-awaited follow-up to his wildly successful novel -- which his editor (Robert Downey, Jr.) is badgering him for. His problem isn't writer's block but, in fact, quite the opposite; he's on page 2612, and can't seem to stop. But that's all pretty much beside the point, since he's having an affair with the (married) chancellor of the university (Frances McDormand), who tells him she's pregnant. And there's this brilliant student of his he's trying to help (Tobey Maguire) -- who could actually help him -- but then the student shoots the chancellor's dog and... Well, a lot of stuff sort of happens. And you get to tag along for a great ride.
There are so many little things I love about this movie. Small moments, finely tuned and masterfully crafted. Details like the bathrobe. The car. The transvestite. Marilyn Monroe's jacket. But mainly it's the characters, who are so vividly drawn and palpably alive, thanks to a miraculous confluence of brilliant writing, acting, and directing (not to slight all the other elements of the film, which are uniformly excellent).
Hardly anyone else I know has seen this movie. It snuck in under everyone's radar early this year, opening the last weekend in February (whose idea was that?), and was long gone before most people noticed. It was plagued by what can be most charitably described as a weird, misguided marketing campaign that managed to make the film appear ponderously inaccessible while providing no compelling incentive for anyone to go see it. This included an incredibly lethargic trailer ( www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/wonder_boys.html) -- and don't even get me started on the poster, which was just... well, not only completely non-communicative, but sorta creepy.
It was almost by pure chance that I happened to see the movie myself. I don't even know what compelled me to do so. I think I was up one night late working (as usual), with VH1's Insomniac Music Theater playing in the background, when Bob Dylan's "Things Have Changed" video for the movie came on (a _great_ video, by the way, which should be given a major push to help promote the film -- and wasn't; use the song in the new campaign, dammit!). The next day or so -- stressed, tired, and suffering from cabin fever -- I jumped in the Robo-Mobile and did something I virtually never do: go see a movie alone.
I think it was the Sunday night of opening weekend, maybe late afternoon, I dunno. Hardly anyone was there. And I was immediately sucked in by the spryly inspired screenplay by Steve Kloves (writer/director of "The Fabulous Baker Boys," currently writing "Harry Potter), full of wit, insight, and heartfelt humanity. And then there are the exhilarating performances; everyone involved is at the top of their game, and I personally think Michael Douglas has never been better. Curtis Hanson's direction is smooth as silk, effortlessly engaging and electric. The film is magic, pure and simple. I LOVE THIS MOVIE.
To paraphrase the season (but hopefully not series) finale of SPORTS NIGHT, "Anyone who can't make money on WONDER BOYS should get out of the money-making business." (To date, it's made less than $20 million.)
So far, I think this is the best movie of the year -- and one I will blissfully pay to see again. I really miss those characters, and am thrilled to be getting another chance to hang out with them. If you missed your chance the first time around, mark your calendars now. I don't think there will be five better movies this year, much less scripts. (Hint-hint, Academy!)
WONDER BOYS will be re-released in October by Paramount, featuring a new marketing campaign emphasizing the ensemble cast and the overwhelmingly positive reviews, to both fulfill the box office and Oscar potential of the film (which I think are both considerable).
Now if we could just get Warners to re-release SUPERMAN, which they're already restoring for the DVD...
