Wonderful World (2009)

You won't be disappointed!

Purely Joyful Movie!

People are voting emotionally.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) is a bitter cynic who is stuck in a dead-end job and always railing against his imaginary The Man (Philip Baker Hall). He's divorced from Eliza (Ally Walker) and his daughter Sandra (Jodelle Ferland) is struggling in all the negativity. His only friend and Senegalese roommate Ibou (Michael K. Williams) falls into a diabetic coma. His car gets towed after a complaint by an uncaring neighbor. Ibou's sister Khadi (Sanaa Lathan) arrives from Senegal. Ben's workmate Cyril (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) finds out that he used to be a successful kid entertainer and tries to befriend him.Despite Ben's relentless cynicism, I still kind of like him. Matthew Broderick has that kind of world weariness from his performance in Election. This is a black comedy but I don't necessarily find it funny. It's actually sincere in its misanthropic vision. I like his relationship with his daughter. There are holes in his life story. The character was once a successful man. There must be a wealth of material to dig into from that situation. Also I think his relationship with Khadi could be resolved better.Bottom Line, this is an interesting cynic's lament but it could have been funnier.

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".

Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) is a cynical, depressed copywriter who used to be a famous children's musician. He hates his job and most of the people in his life, save for his daughter, Sandra (Jodelle Ferland), and his roommate, Ibu (Michael K. Williams), whom he plays chess with. When Ibu falls into a diabetic coma, his sister, Khadi (Sanaa Lathan), comes from Senegal and ends up crashing with Ben. As the world around him begins to grow darker, Ben finds himself reawakening and rediscovering his life and finds that the world isn't quite as bad as he thought it was.I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of "Wonderful World." A lot of these "the world sucks but our hero prevails" indie movies wallow in despair, making them almost unwatchable. "Wonderful" more than touches on the harsh parts of life but paints with a broad brush rather than a fine point, which I personally appreciated. It's a well-told story and writer-director Joshua Golden keeps the movie moving without drowning me in the sorrow. That's not to say this is an easy movie to watch. It's 70 percent sadness and that makes for a tough viewing but one that I found worthwhile. Broderick works hard to craft a sympathetic curmudgeon, a different role than his usual cheery if understated hero. The supporting cast compliments him well though Williams, one of the very best character actors the business has to offer, was severely underutilized. "Wonderful World" is far from a great movie; it's a bit bumpy and at times the emotion feels forced. Still, it's a strong-enough indie offering and it's always good to see Broderick on the screen.Check out my site, The Soap Box Office: www.thesoapboxoffice.blogspot.com

Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) is a failed children's folk singer, a career proofreader, a compulsive marijuana smoker, and a less-than-extraordinary weekend dad. He's also the most negative man alive. Floundering in all aspects of his life, Ben's only comfort comes from regular chess games and friendly debates on game theory with his Senegalese roommate Ibou (Michael Kenneth Williams). When Ibou is suddenly struck ill, and an insensitive municipal employee exacerbates the emergency situation, Ben's pessimistic worldview seems unequivocally confirmed. His only recourse is to pour his energies into a frivolous lawsuit against the city for depraved indifference. But Ben soon finds that cynicism may be all a matter of perspective. WONDERFUL WORLD is directed by Josh Goldin and features Sanaa Lathan and Philip Baker Hall.Cast: Matthew Broderick, Sanaa Lathan, Michael Kenneth Williams, Philip Baker Hall, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jodelle Ferland.danceability-1, Amsterdam Holland