Plot: What’s it about?
Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick) was once a successful musician, with popular folks songs aimed at children that were smash hits all over. But these days, Ben finds himself stuck in a rut with a negative attitude about life in general. He works at a publishing house and while it is a good job, it offers no real chance to move up. At home, he lost his wife in a divorce and while he sees his daughter every other weekend, that simply isn’t enough. When she is around, Ben distances himself from her with his pessimism, which causes problems between them. Things take an even worse turn when his friend and roommate Ibu goes into a diabetic coma,?but then he meets Ibu’s sister (Sanaa Lathan). She is determined to crack Ben’s hard exterior and get to know the real him, but of course, Ben resists as much as possible. Faced with a future of loneliness and despair, can Ben turn his life around and learn how to enjoy his world once again?
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????This is the kind of movie we’ve seen countless times before, with no really new twists thrown in, but somehow, Wonderful Worldm still manages to entertain. I wouldn’t call this a great movie, or even that good, but it is solid and Matthew Broderick’s performance is one of his best. The plot follows the usual route for this type of tale, but it shows restraint at times and that helps make this work as well as it does. I think a couple fresh elements could have done a lot, but even with the recycled ingredients, Wonderful World is worth a look. The restraint keeps the themes from being shoved in our faces, but still gets the points across. Broderick is not an actor I follow, but I have seen many of his recent films and without question, this is his best work in some time. The rest of the cast is good as well, with some very talented folks backing him up. As I said, there is nothing new in Wonderful World, but it handles the usual well enough to make things worthwhile. So if you’re interested, give Wonderful World a rental.
Video: How does it look?
Wonderful World is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a good transfer, but the visuals here don’t offer a lot of sparkle and shine. Even so, the depth is a nice improvement over the DVD, with?a clearer, more refined presence. The detail won’t dazzle, but it looks quite good. No issues with color or contrast either, both elements perform as intended. In the end, just a rock solid treatment all around.
Audio: How does it sound?
This DTS HD 5.1 option sounds fine, but never offers more than a basic experience. That is fine however, as this movie has no need for bells and whistles in this area. The dialogue is clear, the music sounds good, and no errors surface to mention. Not going to rock the house, but it gets the job done. This disc also includes a Spanish language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a handful of brief, promotional featurettes.
