Review of In a World... (2013) by Steven C — 23 Apr 2014

This movie kind of reminds me of Bridesmaids, not in its vulgarity or propensity for pratfalls and bathroom humor, but rather in how universally-praised this movie was, and just how overrated I thought it was. I mean, the dialogue was painful at best (ie- "He tried to put the tip in") and I felt nothing for any of the characters or their plights. Lake Bell's protagonist is not endearing, and despite having a jealous and childish father/rival, I could have ultimately cared less who won the coveted voice job in the end. The script was dripping with jaded sarcasm and as a result, the characters were more caricatures than believable human beings, and thus never came to life for me. The plot was so slow-moving and some events were so random that I felt like I was watching Zach Braff's Garden State (ah...another indie "darling").

My relation of this movie to Bridesmaids is not due to just how overrated I thought it was, but also because I felt that this lifeless indie drivel benefited greatly from the idea that critics feel the need to effusively praise just about anything put out by a female writer or director---and with this film we have both! Hey, I'm no misogynist or male chauvinist, and I do fully understand how this movie is very much a satire of and commentary on the male-dominated world, not only of the voice-over industry, but of the entertainment industry as a whole, but the movie was simply not that good. I don't care if a writer/director is white or not, male or female, or ascribes to certain sexual orientation---a film still has to have a quality script, a top-notch cast, and a compelling story line for it to be worthy of praise.

Geena Davis' character in the film said it best when she told Bell's character that she (Bell) wasn't the best person for the job, but she chose her anyways because she would serve as a point of inspiration for women aspiring to the entertainment industry everywhere. That's kind of what Bell (and actress/writer Kristen Wiig) represents to the actual entertainment industry, not the "best person for the job", but she'll do as a (dimly lit) beacon of hope for other aspiring female writers, actresses and directors. So, when I read the multitude of glowing reviews, I get it---I get it. Just don't expect me to gush as well.