Wonder Boys
Wonder Boys

Movie spotlight

Wonder Boys

2000
Movie
107 min
English

Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years—not since he wrote his award winning 'Great American Novel' 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.

Insights

IMDb6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes82%
Metacritic72/100
Google Users85%
Director: Curtis HansonGenres: Comedy, Drama

Plot Summary

A creatively blocked literature professor, Grady Tripp, is facing a daunting book deadline for his epic novel. He juggles his responsibilities with his personal life, which includes an unconventional family and a group of eccentric students. As a weekend of literary events unfolds, Grady's life spirals into a series of chaotic and darkly comedic events.

Critical Reception

Wonder Boys was met with critical acclaim, praised for its witty screenplay, strong performances, and unique blend of humor and drama. While not a box office success, it has since gained a cult following and is often regarded as one of Michael Douglas's finest performances.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its sharp, intelligent script and nuanced performances.

  • Lauded for its unique tone, balancing dark humor with poignant character moments.

  • Michael Douglas's performance as the self-absorbed professor was widely celebrated.

Google audience: Google users largely appreciated the film's witty dialogue, memorable characters, and the compelling performances, especially from Michael Douglas. Many enjoyed its offbeat humor and thoughtful exploration of literary and personal struggles.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Things Have Changed"). Michael Douglas received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

Fun Fact

The film is based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Michael Chabon, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Chabon based aspects of the character Grady Tripp on his own experiences as a creative writing professor.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

"Prof. Tripp" (Michael Douglas) hasn't his troubles to seek. He hasn't been able to follow up on his first novel for almost seven years - much to the chagrin of his agent "Terry" (Robert Downey Jr); his third wife has left him and he is abo...

Peter McGinn

Peter McGinn

I have to believe I saw this movie a year or two after it came out, but I had no feelings of deja vu as I watched it, so perhaps not. I usually have very little patience for movies about writers because I am one, and I get tired of them bri...