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WONDERFUL WORLDMovie Reviews
Romantic drama about a washed-up children's folk singer and crummy weekend dad, whose perspective is altered when his roommate is hospitalized and the roommate's sister arrives from Senegal. Cast:Matthew Broderick, Michael Kenneth Williams, Sanaa Lathan, Philip Baker Hall, Jodelle FerlandDirector:Joshua GoldinRelease Date:January 8, 2010DVD Release:March 16, 2010From:MagnoliaRating:RLength:1 hr. 35 min.
Wonderful World played in key cities to fair reviews. • Amy Biancolli wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle, "The screenplay packs no particular surprises - some of the plot mechanics positively creak - but the leads bring some wattage and warmth to very modest indie fare." • And James Berardinelli wrote for Reel Views, "...lightweight and inconsequential..." More Reviews Below...
Wonderful World Positive Reviews (18 Reviews, reviews below)
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: MODERATE(cg) "...lightweight and inconsequential... Although the story is derivative and not entirely credible, the main problem germinates from unconvincing performances."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 757 words, 01/15/10
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (7 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...the touches of African guitar music that lilt on the soundtrack lend 'Wonderful World' little dashes of ebullience.... a delicate, intelligent film..."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 633 words, 01/08/10
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "A cranky failure falls for his friend's sister.... Joshua Goldin's movie -- reminiscent of 2007's Oscar-nominated 'The Visitor' -- doesn't go beyond this tired idea."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 144 words, 01/08/10
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "...promising but uneven.... Broderick's sad-sack misanthropy is often taken as a given... the film never quite explores the hidden corners of his character's psyche."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 477 words, 01/08/10
Kyle Smith, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "Although Broderick turns in a typically strong performance and may make you feel the plight of the lonely scourge, the character is a pill."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 362 words, 01/08/10
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "A lot of 'Wonderful World' doesn't jell.... But the movie is unfailingly likable and finally impressive. Director Joshua Goldin doesn't settle for easy answers..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 360 words, 01/11/10
Dan Kois, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...has its own low-key pleasures, thanks to Broderick's restrained performance and a script that punctuates the inescapable saccharine of its storyline..."(See all of Dan Kois's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 531 words, 01/29/10
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "While the message is hopeful, and Broderick's performance is a tiny masterpiece in the key of Scrooge, Joshua Goldin's film is hobbled by its choppy storytelling."(See all of Carrie Rickey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 296 words, 01/15/10
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "The screenplay packs no particular surprises - some of the plot mechanics positively creak - but the leads bring some wattage and warmth to very modest indie fare."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 251 words, 01/08/10
John Hartl, Seattle Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The movie itself is a little too tidy, a little too determined to convey a lesson, but Matthew Broderick's character sticks with you."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 370 words, 01/15/10
Scott Tobias, AV Club: MODERATE(cg) "...a paint-by-numbers tale of redemption for a man whose wounds are mostly self-inflicted.... It's all too much baggage for Broderick -- and such a slight movie -- to bear."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 352 words, 01/07/10
Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper: POOR "Goldin's film has a worthy message... It's so tritely and shallowly conveyed, though, that even at a mere hour-and-a-half, the story is intolerable."(See all of Tricia Olszewski's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 01/28/10
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...the touches of African guitar music that lilt on the soundtrack lend 'Wonderful World' little dashes of ebullience.... a delicate, intelligent film..."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 633 words, 01/08/10
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "...promising but uneven.... Broderick's sad-sack misanthropy is often taken as a given... the film never quite explores the hidden corners of his character's psyche."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 477 words, 01/08/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Russell Edwards, Daily Variety: FAIR "...has soulful qualities that have been compressed into a paint-by-numbers production.... the film's upbeat intentions are undermined by missing plot points..."(See all of Russell Edwards's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 570 words, 10/21/09
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD "While the film easily might have gone in an overly treacly direction, Goldin manages to avoid it, thanks to some unpredictable plot twists that subvert our expectations..."(See all of Frank Scheck's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 311 words, 05/07/09
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "...promising but uneven.... Broderick's sad-sack misanthropy is often taken as a given... the film never quite explores the hidden corners of his character's psyche."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 477 words, 01/08/10
Stephen Holden, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...the touches of African guitar music that lilt on the soundtrack lend 'Wonderful World' little dashes of ebullience.... a delicate, intelligent film..."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 633 words, 01/08/10
14.4 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Wonderful World's reviews are separated by an average 14.4 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Wonderful World (18 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Wonderful World's reviews cover 26.8% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 6,579 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 366 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Wonderful World Coverage, Volume & Length (18 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 32.7 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Wonderful World's reviews on average broke 32.7 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Wonderful World's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Wonderful World (18 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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