Rating: 
Summary: A strange and wonderful gem of a motion picture.
Review: Curtis Hanson's follow-up to his brilliant 'LA Confidential' is equally amazing but in a completely different way. 'Wonder Boys' is a wonderfully skewed comedy, with characters who zig and zag across the screen, weaving in through each others lives, and ultimately finding salvation in each other. Michael Douglas gives his second-great performance of 2000 (the other being in 'Traffic') as Professor Grady Tripp, a chronic pot-smoking, english teacher/author who has had great success in the past with his first novel. Problem is, he can't seem to finish his follow-up and he's been trying for years. He is having an affair with a married chancellor at his school (Frances McDormand in HER sceond great performance of the year, the other being in 'Almost Famous'). His barely-in-the-closet editor (the incredible Robert Downey Jr.) is breathing down his throat and a student of his (Katie Holmes) is trying to get in his pants. Not only that he has the chancellor's dead dog in his trunk, thanks to a mishap with a bewildered, mysterious student of his (Tobey Maguire at his usual excellence) and the car he's driving may or may not be stolen. Over the course of one hellish weekend, Grady Tripp will find out what it means to be in charge of one's own life and the way making a simple choice can change things for the better. The movie rides smoothly from start to finish thanks to great, assured direction by Hanson and smooth screenwriting by Steve Kloves (from the novel by Michael Chabon). It's a truly amazing film, whose character's are so well developed and layered that we never know what to expect of them at any given moment. In fact, anywhere you think this movie might be going at any given time, you will more then likely be wrong. It's surprising and heart-felt, as funny as it is involving, as moving as it is intelligent. And you won't find a better performance then Douglas's in any film this year. It's a true stand-out role for him, a break from his normal obsessive, hard-headed monsters. And he is brilliant. And so is Tobey Maguire, who continues to dazzle with every film. One of the best films of 2000.
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Achievement
Review: For most of my life I've wanted to be a writer. I've written several things, mainly just for myself, but nothing more. Knowing this, I'm going to tell you why Wonder Boys isn't just one of the greatest movies I have ever seen, but why it will forever be close to my heart. Gordy Tripp (Michael Douglas, hasn't been this good since Wall Street) is a college english professor who has written one book in his lifetime. This book was one of those huge critical and commercial successes that rarely happens to a first time author. The problem is, though, his second book. Not that he's having troubles writing it, but he can't stop writing it, with the book already getting into 2000 pages. The movie takes place during one particular weekend when there's a literary event taking place at the college. What a weekend it is for Gordy, as his wife has just left him, his mistress (played incredibly by Frances McDormand) is pregnant, his publisher (a quite good Robert Downey Jr.) is here to check on his manuscript, a female student (Katie Holmes) is tempting him, and an eccentric male student (Tobey Maguire in his best performance ever) is giving him problems as well. All these things just collide on Gordy, and it all wails on him, bringing him closer and closer to a breakdown. What happens to him I'll let you discover. This movie was an inspiration for me. The minute after I saw it I started writing my own story, which is very close and personal to me, so this movie is close to my heart for that reason. But, Wonder Boys is so incredible for many others. Curtis Hanson has weaved all these incredible stories together, which in the hands of another director probably would've fallen flat, but Hanson not only makes it work, he makes it breathe. Nothing in this movie is traditional. Every cliche the Hanson could've used, he instead turns it right around on us. McDormand's character could've been a cliche, but thankfully her character is different. She understands Gordy, and loves him for whom he is, but never pressuring him. Another reason why the movie is so good is because each and every performance is classic. Tobey Maguire is the one who shines the most, stealing every scene he's in. That's saying something, because every cast member from Douglas to McDormand to Downey Jr. to Holmes to even Rip Torn plays so well, so good. It's always a delight when a movie like this happens, and it doesn't happen often. Go see this movie, you owe yourself to.
Rating:
Summary: People Are Crazy, Times Are Strange
Review: English Professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) is having the month from hell, but his month is crammed into the span of a weekend. It's WordFest, the university's annual writing festival, which could not have come at a worse time. All hell has simultaneously broken loose and there's no end in sight. As Grady's tale unfolds director Curtis Hanson takes us on a whiz-bang trip through Pittsburgh that is both a coming of age story for young and old.Grady tells us his day started with his wife leaving him; no big deal they've done that before. His mistress, university chancellor Sara Gaskell (Frances McDormand), is pregnant with his child (she also happens to be married to the English dept. head, Grady's boss).These are only the beginning. Grady's editor, Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey Jr.), is in town to try to get a look at Tripp's much overdue novel, which he desperately needs to save both of their careers. To top it off, Grady's student Hannah Green (Katie Holmes), who is renting a room in his home, has the hots for him, there's a dead dog in his trunk, a stolen Marilyn Monroe jacket in his car, a James Brown want-to-be after Grady's car, and then there's James Leer. Leer (Tobey McGuire), a student of Tripp's, is a noticeably strange and talented young writer who idolizes Grady. Tripp won't let James waste his obvious talent and, even with all the things going on in his life, takes James under his wing, if just for a day. Their trip together finally allows them understand each other, what they've been through, who they are, and most importantly where they want to go and how to get there. Michael Douglas is absolutely fabulous as Grady Tripp, which one hopes leads him to taking on more roles like this where he plays a character of his actual age. McDormand is equally up to the task as the hard edged with soft inside Sara who pairs with Douglas well and we have no trouble believing they would be a compatible couple. Tobey McGuire plays his usual lost young adult role, which he does well. The individual that really impressed me was Robert Downey Jr. who plays his character with a a natural warmth and grace that allows us to embrace his unorthodox character. Curtis Hanson couldn't have picked a better follow-up to the critically acclaimed LA Confidential. Where that film was cold and tense, this one is warm and freewheeling (even with all the dark humor floating throughout). He certainly knows how to get the most out of his actors and stories. This film is able to not be a conventional drama or comedy but is somewhere in between, and carries a sincere emotional core that is inescapable.
Rating:
Summary: Underated, brilliant movie.
Review: Anybody that has not seen "Wonder Boys" is truly missing the oppurtunity at seeing a brilliant film. The main character is college professor Grady Tripp, played by Michael Douglas. Tripp is also an author who's previous novel was a success nearly seven years ago. Robert Downey Jr. appears as his book editor, waiting for his follow up. Katie Holmes stars as Douglas' most trusted student, who also happens to be renting a room from Tripp. Tobey Maguire, appearing here before the overhyped Spider-Man, is good as the mysterious James Leer. Leer's whole life at the college seems to be based on lies. Leer is from Carvel, Pennsylvania, a town he describes as having "three motels and a mannequin factory". Frances McDormand shines as Tripps' boss and mistress. the story has many twists and turns as well as many delightful characters you will enjoy. The movie also features many hilarious moments as well as some great lines. My favorite line in the movie is when Tripp and Leer are in the car and Leer pulls the bag of marijuana from the glove box. Tripp replies, "Do me a favor, lay off my dope. That stuff's not for amatuers." Highly recommended for anybody who has not seen it.
Rating:
Summary: RICH TRANSFER OF NOVEL TO HEARTFELT FILM
Review: I tried three times to read the novel and at last am half-way through. The novel, while wonderfully well written, with artful sentences and beautifully stitched paragraphs, lacks suspense. The film, which I saw both in the theater and on DVD, sticks closely to the book and now there's no way one can read Grady Tripp's voice without hearing Michael Douglas, who here out-acts his charming performance as president in The American President. Michael captures Chabon's inflections perfectly. I've come to love this movie and feel that the characters are part of my life. For me, the acting throughout is matchless. Curtis Hanson deserves great credit for not trying to juice up the story. I think this will be one of those addictive movies with locked in pleasures I want to share with all my friends and will sit through ten times without tiring of the subtleties. Probably more than ten times over the years. When you have a can't miss DVD you just have to break it out for friends who haven't seen the film. By the way, the Bob Dylan video of the his Oscar-winning "Things Have Changed" is on the DVD and though I've watched it twice, and heard him sing it during the Academy Awards, and even have read the complete lyrics in Entertainment Weekly, well, it still eludes my ear. Aside from "I'm in love with a women who don't even appeal to me," I just can't get most of the lines. I wish I had saved the trot from EW. Pale and smileless as a clown, Bob no longer sells his lyrics the way he did as a youngster where one might savor every word and Rimbaud image. But then why should he sing the way he did forty years ago? Now I hear he's had three Nobel Prize nominations.
Rating:
Summary: A weekend in the life of Professor Grady Tripp
Review: It pretty much all takes over a long weekend of debauchery of one form or another. Professor Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) is a laboring novelist and teacher at a college in Pittsburgh, author Chabon's favorite place to write about (witness: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh). He's working on this novel-in-progress, swearing to his agent (with a transvestite date in tow when he swoops into town for an award banquet) that it's nearly finished when, in reality, it's anything but. He's got a bazillion pages, but the book just isn't going anywhere, certainly not toward any planned or near-at-hand conclusion.
Tripp also has a wife who announces she's leaving him and a mistress (chancellor of the school, as well as the wife of Grady's boss) who tells him she's pregnant. Add to the mix a sexy student who shacks up at Grady's house and the wonderful, brilliant, and horribly confused student played by Tobey Maguire - whose best scene, according to my 19yo son is when, in a marijuana fog, he gets the munchies, lifts the lid of a candy jar, and utters an unforgettable warble of unmitigated joy when he discovers lemon drops.
Then there's a blind dog that ends up dead in the trunk of Grady's car and a gorgeous jacket once owned by Marilyn Monroe, and, and, and...
Wow.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT! (as God said, and I think rightly..)
Review: I enjoyed this movie immensely. I'd put it right up there with 'American Beauty', 'Magnolia', and 'Being John Malkovich' as one of my favourite films of recent years. I particularly enjoyed Michael Douglas's performance (yes, I was surprised too) as Grady Tripp (pot-smoking college english professor, dubious literary mentor, and flailing, aging author of the critically aclaimed 7-years-gone novel 'Arsonists Daughter'...) I really enjoyed the down-beat oddities and subtleties of the film and it's cast of strange but endearing characters (yes, yes, THERE you go!) Frances MacDormand's character (The Chancellor) is the only one who you might be able to call something that resembles a "normal" person, but even SHE, underneith her guise of normalcy, is a pregnant-out-of-wedlock habitual gardener! It gets no better I'm afraid. Robert Downey Jr plays Grady's gay book editor who has a penchant for transvestites and certain relaxing pharmacuticals (Terry Crabtree) to great (and oddly touching) comedic effect. Tobey Maguire plays Grady's morose young student/protege (who lays claim to the uncanny ability of being able to list hundreds of movie suicides in alphabetical order..) I'm Sorry 9-to-5ers. Abandon hope all ye who enter here, It gets no more mundane or ordinary than that. Oh well. But, to be honest, this sort of off-the-wall character development only served to make me even more enamored of the film. Speaking intimately as a very weird person (and speaking FOR MY PEOPLE) I desparately want to see more space-cadets and freaks and kooky-spooks casually represented in feature films. It's all about equality really. We don't all live in caves y'know. We're everywhere amongst you! We shop at your supermarkets! (albeit at strange hours..) We attend your schools! We even write movie reviews for enormous websites you visit late at night! Freakitude is not so uncommon a phenomena.. and my people DEMAND SCREENTIME ... And in 'Wonder Boys' they certainly get it. Kudos to whoever it was that wrote it that way. This film allows itself to positively WALLOW in human quirkiness. The movie also features a fantastic soundtrack (ALWAYS a bonus..) Best line? "You're mad at me.. You're mad because I shot your girlfriends dog." HIGHLY recommended! :o)
Rating: 
Summary: Little Wonder
Review: Director Curtis Hanson adapts Michael Chabon`s acclaimed book and delivers a gripping dramedy about the writing process and life choices. Michael Douglas plays Grady Tripp, a famous writer and teacher that faces some weird and unusual situations during a contrived weekend. Grady tries to help James (played by the excellent Tobey Maguire), a confused yet brilliant student who is feeling unsure about his life and its future options. Together, the two "wonder boys" will come clean with themselves and redefine their main goals and priorities. But, before they reach that scenario, a couple of offbeat adventures unfold. Curtis Hanson ("LA Confidential", "8 Mile") provides an edgy and hip movie, presenting a true-to-life (in a way) and witty plot, well-crafted characters, superb acting, stunning cinematography and an adequate score. Although this picture is a bit overrated, it still deserves some praise as it delivers a captivating and absorbing cinematic experience. However, sometimes it`s way too clever for its own good, and the story is hardly groundbreaking material. The ending is not the best, either. Still, "Wonder Boys" works fine as an edgy Hollywood effort, expertly mixing alternative and mainstream elements to create an intelligent and entertaining piece of filmaking, courtesy of Curtis Hanson`s ecclectism (an underrated director, by the way). Deserves a look.
Rating:
Summary: Just watching the world go by!
Review: Michael Douglas gives the greatest performance of his career as a bumbling, washed up writer-professor who in one wild, wacky weekend, offers advice, guides, teaches, looses, and gains, and in the end, discovers himself. The problem with most films about supposedly great writers, is that the writing can't stand up to the hype. Finally, a film with writing that makes you believe the characters may be as talented as everyone thinks they are. Maybe you have to be a writer, or at least have read a few books, to appreciate this film, which is, after all, about writing: it's pain, anxieties, frustrations, insecurities, impotencies, and ultimately, exhiliration. The characters are well-developed, and universally well-acted. Unpredictable and funny, only marred by a Hollywood ending that grossly cops out. Wonder Boys is a unique film, not for your average movie goer who loved Armageddon, but for those who actually enjoy thinking about what the heck they're doing with their lives. Great ensemble cast; perhaps the smartest movie of 2000.
Rating:
Summary: Wonder Boys
Review: This has turned out to be one of my favorite films of all time. Every single main character is memorable, as well are the supporting characters. I am a Michael Douglas fan, and I believe that this is his best role. I could not imagine anyone else playing Grady Tripp; same goes for Tobey Maguire as James Leer. Robert Downey, Jr. IS Crabtree. Much of the humor is subtle and not overly obvious, not is it humorous to the characters in the situation. This is one of the types of films that has it all: great characters, great story, great acting, great cinematography, great directing, and great music (which, by the way, fits in perfectly with each scene-- look at the scenes specifically with the Neil Young and Leonard Cohen songs). This is definitely one of the best films that's come out of the past decade, and I'm sure it'll remain a favorite for years.
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