(Rated PG)
Opens Feb. 25
This is Curtis Hanson’s follow-up to the brilliantly, most critically acclaimed movie of the last decade, “L.A. Confidential.” So, what does he do? Finds a story that parallels his own life, I guess. In this one, Michael Douglas plays a cynical novelist and English professor named Grady whose last book was such a success, he’s since seemed to hit writers block on his latest scribe. A wonder boy is someone who’s had great success early in life and then has to face the fear and insecurity of forever living up to himself. In addition to an unfinished novel, Grady is confronted with a stolen car, a murdered cat, an unstable student, a fed-up wife, a pregnant lover. You know, all those usual issues in a writer’s everyday life (yeah, sure).
Tobey Maguire (“The Ice Storm”) stars as James Ler, the gifted student; Frances McDormand (“Fargo”) as Douglas’s love interest and middle-aged chancellor. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Crabtree, Douglas’s editor with his usual air of confidence and dramatic charm (which unfortunately we won’t see for awhile, this being his last flick until his real-life prison term is complete). And finally. Rip Torn stars simply as “Q”, a competitive and successful novelist reminding Douglas’s Grady of what he once was.
A coming-of-age, mid-life-crisis story of a man in his fifties. Very character-driven with peak and valley moments that will keep you intrigued, as Grady struggles to figure things out in a somewhat aimless and almost goofy (but worth the watch) kind of way.
Side note: Douglas gained close to 50 pounds for this pathetic, embracing warm character role which is a switch from his usual playboy, millionaire, reptile, adulterous-type characters. But, he can’t look that bad. Afterall, he is soon to be the real life Mr. Catherine Zeta Jones.