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Wonder Boys
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Wonder Boys

Wonder Boys

2000
Comedy, Drama
1h 47m
Grady Tripp (Douglas) 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 seven years ago. It's hardly surprising, then that his college's annual literary festival fills the former wonder boy with more than his usual quota of self-doubt and anxiety. This festival weekend, however, proves even worse than he could have imagined as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy, his most gifted writing student James Leer (Maguire). (Paramount Pictures)

Directed by:

Curtis Hanson

Screenwriter:

Steve Kloves, Michael Chabon

Starring:

Katie Holmes, Frances McDormand, Michael Douglas, Robert Downey Jr., Tobey Maguire, Kelly Bishop, Rip Torn, Jane Adams, Alan Tudyk, Philip Bosco, James Ellroy, Richard Knox

Genres:

Comedy, Drama

Countries:

Germany, Japan, UK, USA

Language:

English
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Wonder Boys

2000
Comedy, Drama
1h 47m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 59.9% from 1881 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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trixrabbiTrixRabbi
Rated 09 Sep 2014
76
50th
The Amherst College version of a stoner comedy.
Rated 09 Sep 2014
frederikaFrederikA
Rated 12 Sep 2011
90
96th
Arguably as good as Curtis' more epic classic L.A.Confidential, this clever, funny and well-acted drama/comedy soars on the level of the all-time campus-classical Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. You'll have to be a cold-hearted bastard not to enjoy it.
Rated 12 Sep 2011
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 11 Sep 2011
45
36th
I honestly don't understand the appraisal this movie has received. Here's why: 1. It's a formulaic 'coming-of-second-age' movie disguised as 'quirky' (we'll shoot a dog! Ha! And Downey Jr. could be gay! Bam!) 2. The 'Stories are experienced, not thought' premise is rather profane. 3. The morale of the story is: Quit drugs and other substances, and you will get a better life and become more productive. Just consider how horrible someone would have to be, to ever support such a statement.
Rated 11 Sep 2011
anselmi86Anselmi86
Rated 28 Jul 2009
96
96th
One of the best written and most inspirational films ever. Michael Douglas' and Robert Downey Jr.'s career best performances.
Rated 28 Jul 2009
jstryjstry
Rated 07 Feb 2008
70
52nd
I bought this at the library book sale for $2. I didn't expect much out of it, but I kind of liked it. I would say it was at least worth $6. Maybe even $8 if Katie Holmes wasn't in it.
Rated 07 Feb 2008
fudgiebfudgieb
Rated 14 Aug 2007
78
38th
Weirdly entertaining. A movie that I think is pretty underrated. I remember thinking I'd hate it, but I ended up really liking it. I probably should see it again. I wonder what made me go see it in the first place.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
ytadelYtadel
Rated 14 Aug 2007
6
70th
A harmless, fairly pleasant slice-of-life type movie about one of cinema's favorites - a struggling writer. Good chemistry between Douglas and Maguire.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
psimpsim
Rated 09 Aug 2022
83
86th
This movie was a nice surprise, I went into it with very little information or expectations, but I really enjoyed the characters.
Rated 09 Aug 2022
eatbeanseatbeans
Rated 17 Jul 2022
8
74th
so good. It's my kind of movie, small cast of people acting their heart out. And not just any actors, it has Iron Man before he was Iron Man, Wash before he was Wash, Spider Man before he brought the franchise back to life, Rip Torn between the Men in Black movies, and the always wonderful Frances McDormand. It's light and funny and makes great use of its actors. Katie Holmes is good and shows that she could be more than just a kissing target in a movie.
Rated 17 Jul 2022
amazedemonamazedemon
Rated 24 May 2020
64
51st
Wonder Boys is often witty and well-acted, but the film never really gripped me. It is extremely well-cast; with Douglas & Maguire taking the lead, Downey Jr. providing some humour, while Holmes, McDormand & Tudyk seem underutilised. Essentially it's a feel-good-film about an author's life cycle from college to retirement and the elusive quest for happiness. In the end, the film doesn't end up being profound, but more quirky and at times sweet, assuming you don't find the character off-putting.
Rated 24 May 2020
capodelnullacapodelnulla
Rated 07 Jan 2020
65
48th
iyi hissettirmek için hikayelerin cıvık ya da aşırı formülize olması gerekmediğini gösteren ama biraz pazarlama hatasına kurban giden eğlenceli ve oturaklı sevimli bir film.
Rated 07 Jan 2020
francogonzoFrancoGonzo
Rated 21 Feb 2016
13
69th
Star Rating: ★★★1/2
Rated 21 Feb 2016
greyscaleGreyscale
Rated 31 May 2015
100
91st
One of the most underrated, underappreciated films of all time. A cinematic masterpiece for book lovers. Bonus points for offering viewers the spectacle of Spiderman and Iron Man as gay lovers, predating Tropic Thunder.
Rated 31 May 2015
glm01glm01
Rated 02 Oct 2013
79
61st
78.500
Rated 02 Oct 2013
stuie299stuie299
Rated 09 May 2013
80
60th
A very uneven movie with two main problems that kept the score lower than it otherwise would have been. One, the plot felt as if it climaxed 1 or 2 times before the actual climax. 2, the ending felt very cheesy compared to the rest of the film. However, Wonder Boys was ultimately enjoyable in part due to its likable cast, and well developed characters.
Rated 09 May 2013
alex_wsAlex WS
Rated 19 Jan 2013
74
75th
Greatness in banter.
Rated 19 Jan 2013
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 25 Sep 2012
70
70th
Michael Douglas is a teacher and washed up writer having trouble following up his success. Tobey Maquire is a student who is as talented as he is odd. There are lots of unexpected events and the two go for a wild ride when the student steals an expensive jacket and shoots the owners dog. Every characters seems full of contradictions. The story is about finding your place in life, but it gets there by way of a meandering path that seems always near the edge of disaster.
Rated 25 Sep 2012
beautyblissBeautyBliss
Rated 21 Jan 2012
85
79th
Good character driven story, well written, and entertaining.
Rated 21 Jan 2012
myfavchordsmyfavchords
Rated 21 Dec 2011
77
64th
The acting is good in this movie. Michael Douglas is particularly good as a washed up writer and professor. The ending could have been better but overall I would recommend this film.
Rated 21 Dec 2011
exidorExidor
Rated 29 Nov 2011
50
8th
Well shot and acted but, as with the book, I really didn't care for any of the characters and consequently didn't find the story particularly engaging.
Rated 29 Nov 2011
rjmacreadyRJMacready
Rated 24 Jun 2011
95
66th
Great comic drama starring the ever reliable Michael Douglas and Robert Downy Jr. Also stars a pre Spiderman Tobey Maguire and a pre Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes. Douglas is fantastic as struggling professor/author Trip Grady. Weird feel good movie for me as your siding with a guy who is cheating with someone else's wife and is generally a dislikable character, but it's pulled off with charm the current Mr Zeta Jones. Recommended
Rated 24 Jun 2011
sirstuckeySirStuckey
Rated 18 Jun 2011
80
78th
I'm a sucker for movies about writers, and movies with great dialogue. Considering this has both I was highly entertained. Despite the Hollywood ending I still consider this a highly engaging romp.
Rated 18 Jun 2011
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 02 Feb 2011
40
27th
Competent cast in a rather middling drama with somewhat flat humor.
Rated 02 Feb 2011
tripleshTripleSH
Rated 20 Dec 2010
73
58th
I'm not sure you can go too astray when you adapt most of Michael Chabon's work to the big screen. Wonder Boys is a neatly packaged story that stays pretty true to the tone of the original work. All in all, a good watch.
Rated 20 Dec 2010
tinysausagetinysausage
Rated 29 Nov 2010
78
75th
Douglas is very likeable in his old dressing gown catching a sneaky spliff. There's a nice symmetry to the two "wonder boys" finding themselves at opposite ends of their creative journeys.
Rated 29 Nov 2010
hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 22 Sep 2010
69
73rd
Interesting portrayals from Douglas and Maguire and a strong supporting cast carry this character study.
Rated 22 Sep 2010
bookhouseboybookhouseboy
Rated 24 Aug 2010
57
79th
#10#, liked, casting, oldies(2) }*{ #00#, reviews, story.
Rated 24 Aug 2010
marlinbrandoMarlinbrando
Rated 06 Aug 2010
82
55th
Weirdly appealing.
Rated 06 Aug 2010
billkerwinbillkerwin
Rated 24 Jan 2010
90
83rd
Fine performances by many good actors in a rich, witty film intended for adults. Michael Douglas is much better than usual, and Robert Downey and Toby McGuire do some of theire best work.
Rated 24 Jan 2010
tedted
Rated 09 Jan 2010
67
40th
Pretty entertaining and has some great moments, but certain elements were too silly for my tastes. To its credit, however, it wasn't as self-consciously offbeat as, say, the Big Lebowski or a Wes Anderson movie.
Rated 09 Jan 2010
jacoiiiJacoIII
Rated 13 Jul 2009
35
32nd
Just an average adaptation of a fantastic book. The fact that I read "Wonder Boys" and then watched it a week later may be clouding my judgment a little but as of now the movie was a huge disappointment.
Rated 13 Jul 2009
mjvmoviemanMJVmovieMan
Rated 23 Mar 2009
50
20th
Vastly overpraised. There are very crazy, weird and interesting characters mixed up in an odd script, but I found the movie off-putting and more bizarre than I cared for at the time. It's definitely dark comedy driven by a universally excellent cast, but the movie felt like a prison sentence. Everyone in it and the storyline just felt way too bizarre for its own good. Quirky comedy can work, but "Wonder Boys" didn't for me despite some admirable traits.
Rated 23 Mar 2009
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 10 Feb 2009
48
49th
okay movie
Rated 10 Feb 2009
ashwilliamsAshWilliams
Rated 18 Nov 2008
75
47th
Nice movie.
Rated 18 Nov 2008
tathieltathiel
Rated 05 Oct 2008
88
92nd
Really good drama, with a surprisingly great and weird Michael Douglas.
Rated 05 Oct 2008
lebarLebar
Rated 17 Sep 2008
74
36th
boring,boring,boring!
Rated 17 Sep 2008
ktappektappe
Rated 24 Jan 2008
97
93rd
Cerebrally-engaging flick that refreshingly never talks down to the viewer but instead dives deep into each character's feelings and motivations. Highly recommended as the remedy (antithesis) for each of Michael Bay's films.
Rated 24 Jan 2008
kavuKavu
Rated 22 Dec 2007
54
26th
Douglas isn't good enough to carry the movie and the script isn't that great anyway. Maguire is the only spot of light in this somewhat boring movie.
Rated 22 Dec 2007
elsaponelsapon
Rated 16 Oct 2007
65
17th
Enjoyable light snack.
Rated 16 Oct 2007
dustydDustyd
Rated 16 Sep 2007
75
79th
good movie
Rated 16 Sep 2007
brainstewbrainstew
Rated 25 Aug 2007
90
82nd
Quirky/Dark Comedy starring Micheal Douglas.A very funny movie, a must watch IMHO. Its about a professor in a personal crisis and all the things that go down around him.
Rated 25 Aug 2007
stflyst_fly
Rated 22 Aug 2007
55
51st
Good
Rated 22 Aug 2007
martrynmartryn
Rated 15 Aug 2007
78
71st
There was a period of time that Tobey Maguire could not make a bad film. This is one of a series of excellent films he made around the turn of the century. Oh, and you have to love Michael Douglas in this role. And fucking Bob Downey Jr. Excellent character. Not to mention a Dawson's Creek era Katie Holmes. This was back when she was the hottest woman on the planet for me. Big points for her small role in this film. Shit.
Rated 15 Aug 2007
jennajenna
Rated 14 Aug 2007
91
69th
The wonder boys are wonderful... it's such a shame, however, that the director opted for such a lame-ass ending to the film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
spoonerspotspoonerspot
Rated 14 Aug 2007
76
36th
Better than the reviews it got. Not much, but better nonetheless
Rated 14 Aug 2007
svicciarellisvicciarelli
Rated 14 Aug 2007
93
91st
A movie that really understands its characters.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
taleaTalea
Rated 14 Aug 2007
72
45th
Kind of depressing, really, but well-executed. Good casting.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
servantdagonServantDagon
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
68th
Hurr, hurr, she works at the Baxter Building.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
fabfunkfabfunk
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
82nd
Just a pleasure from the first moments on. Michael Douglas is funny and loose, and Tobey's never been better. Acerbic screenplay, and Curtis Hanson matches it step for step.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
yilbyilb
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
58th
A good job with clever laughs, i do wish that Michael was more handsome, instead of looking so crummy all the time, one wonders why anyone would pay attention to him. Still, the pace is good & the situations amusing, leaving little time for rumination.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
rockwellrockwell
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
87th
if you read you will like this movie. its amazing.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
drewrocks34drewrocks34
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
79th
Most of these people haven't done anything else I liked. Go figure.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
zephonithZephonith
Rated 08 Jun 2007
50
16th
Old man in midlife crisis film - not my thing, but well made and well acted. For me though, easily forgettable.
Rated 08 Jun 2007
stainStain
Rated 07 Apr 2007
80
68th
Well-done, funny slice-of-life movie about various people who are supposed to be "top of the heap" who aren't going anywhere in particular
Rated 07 Apr 2007
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 01 Mar 2007
70
82nd
Very good.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
ironcity18ironcity18
Rated 19 Jan 2007
87
57th
Witty, insightful story that is subtle and funny. Nice pace, touching perfs, sweet but not sappy.
Rated 19 Jan 2007

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