In a World...

I've been enamored with Lake Bell ever since I saw her in What Happens in Vegas. Remember that movie? The one with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, where they get married in Vegas. Well, it is as good as it sounds, but Lake Bell played a supporting role and was easily the best part of the movie. Cute, funny, energetic. She is my dream girl, so naturally when I found out she was writing, directing, and starring in In a World..., a film about the trials and tribulations of a struggling voiceover actress, I was thrilled. The movie did not disappoint. Lake Bell has a definite future as a writer and shows some pretty impressive directing chops. Hopefully, this will be her meal ticket to A-list status and we'll be seeing a lot more of her, both in front of and behind the camera

As I said, In a World... is about Carol, a struggling vocal coach/voiceover artist who deals with the challenges of not only breaking into a small male-dominated industry (Did you know that the last mainstream release to have a female voiceover in its trailer was Gone in 60 Seconds? Back in 2000??) but also the fact that her father is one of the most recognizable and formidable voices in the game. In spite of those hamperings, she suddenly finds herself notable work, and as always...complications ensue.

Lake Bell's script is undeniably sharp and witty, even if it does take a while to get started. The movie's first 30 minutes take a little too long to introduce us to the characters, some of whom turn out to be completely expendable in terms of plot. The jokes are there, there's no doubt, but it felt a tad slow right out of the gate. Fortunately, once things get going, they really get going. The dialogue is unformulaic, the jokes are hilarious, and the dramatic beats are well-paced and heartfelt. It's just a great script, and one that proves to be engaging and entertaining, as it explores an area of the entertainment industry that a lot of folks, film buffs included, do not know a whole lot about.

The direction, though standard, is good considering its the work of somebody doing it for the first time. Everything looks good and the performances never feel out of place or disjointed. One big issue I had with the film in general though, and this has more to do with Lake Bell's filmmaking in general than her specific skills as a director, was the barrage of unnecessary characters. In a World, is not strictly speaking, an ensemble film. It's about Carol and her journey. Lake Bell, no doubt in an effort to draw in more support for her freshman effort, cast a lot of well-known actors and comedians in very small parts in the movie, parts that are not only tiny but completely inconsequential. Nick Offerman, for example, plays a mustache-less sound engineer who maybe has a dozen lines. As a result, his presence in the movie overshadows the film itself at times. We all love Nick Offerman and we expect something memorable from him, but he is really just there to be another recognizable face. It becomes distracting. Ditto goes for Tig Notaro, Eva Longoria (as herself..Why?), and even a little bit from Geena Davis near the end. None of these people give bad performances, but they just make the movie feel crowded as they aren't given anything substantial to do. I would be hard-pressed to believe that these characters were all in Lake Bell's original vision of the story. They were obviously called in to support Lake Bell's first movie, its admirable but it doesn't help the movie any.

There are some really great comedic performances throughout the film. Lake Bell herself is painfully awkward and undeniably charming as Carol, played with a likable fragility that will resonate with a lot of artists who end up seeing the movie. Demetri Martin, one of my favorite comedians for years, is surprisingly great as Louis, sound engineer and Carol's doting love interest/vocal coach. He brings his deadpan sardonic sense of humor right into the role with himself and the results are hysterically sweet. The two of them have real chemistry that fuels the movie's softer moments. Rob Corrdry was the stand-out for me. An actor who has appeared in a wide array of comedies over the past couple years, always sort of playing the same kind of obnoxious older guy supporting role, he gets out of his supposed comfort zone as Moe, Carol's sister's husband who deals with his own host of marital issues alongside Carol's professional struggles. He's heartbreaking and, as always, hilarious. His work in this film, along as his performance in Warm Bodies earlier this year has proven that he is a great actor who is capable of much more than we usually see of him. Ken Marino, Michaela Watkins, and Fred Melamed round out the rest of the main players, all of them doing a fine job, even if their characters all hang on the side of unlikeable more than I would have liked.

In a World... , for a straight-up comedy, surprisingly manages to pull off a very well-thought out commentary and critique of how women struggle in the film industry in some novel ways that you would expect. I don't want to give anything away, but it was pretty brilliant to use "Movie Promo Voiceover" as the platform by which to do its analysis. The themes are universal to almost all aspects of film and acting, but the film makes the situational boundaries specific enough that it all comes off as very novel. Carol's struggle as a female breaking into "the biz" mirrors the struggle of so many women today, both in and out of the entertainment field. The film's conclusion on the subject wraps it up too tightly (It is a comedy after all) but it does leave you with some lingering questions. This was not a movie I was expecting to be enlightened by, yet here I am, hours later, still thinking about what it had to say. If I were to delve fully into it in this review, it would take another nine-to-ten paragraphs. Also, as a man, nothing I have to say about feminism or gender equality really matters.

This is a really good little movie. If I am to take one thing from it, it is that Lake Bell has the potential to be one of the next great comedic writer/directors of our time. It's really funny and showcases some great comedic performances as well as a tight script. I would recommend it to all film buffs out there and anybody who appreciates comedy with indie sensibilities. It has a lot more substance than it gives itself credit for and hopefully will spark some debate regarding women in the film industry.

8/10