inaworldI am a fan of offbeat, quirky comedies that either highlight or gently poke fun at careers and associations.

In A World

I am a fan of offbeat, quirky comedies that either highlight or gently poke fun at careers and associations. The main requirement is that they be uniquely written with solid characters and smart humor. IN A WORLD is enjoyable from start to finish and offers up something fresh. If you want an viewing for adults that isn’t solely overused innuendos and rehashed sophomoric gibberish then this is your flick.

Carol (Lake Bell) is a vocal coach who really desires to break into the voice over industry in LA. Her famous father Sam (Fred Melamed) is tops in the biz but his ego has a hard time with her aspirations. Instead Sam would rather mentor an up and comer named Gustav (Ken Marino). When a new movie franchise is announced all three battle for the honor of voicing the epic trailer.

It is fun to get a glimpse into a vocation that we encounter often. Most of us watch movie trailers and think little about the voice behind it. Those deep, baritone words describing emotion and stirring our excitement is so very common that we take it for granted. It is just part of the element. This movie does a good job of parodying those folks and elevating them to a diva standard that may or may not even exist in real life. But it sure is fun to imagine.

Not only does Lake Bell star in the film but she also wrote, produced, and directed this solid film. Thankfully she doesn’t just rely on the comedy but nicely adds in elements of female power that isn’t heavy handed or preachy. She makes a good point that there are still occupations that are male dominated yet do not have to be that way.  “I have fantasized about being one of the great voice-over artists since I was a kid,” Bell says. “I always wanted to be an actor, but I loved the idea of the blind voice—voice without judgment. You could be anyone.” The “umbrella” for the story came when she got a rude awakening and an introduction to the world of voice-over—a tiny, highly competitive, largely male-dominated sphere within the entertainment industry. Her own personal experience along with those of some of the cast made the humor realistic and genuine.

Her father Sam is played fantastically by Melamed. He not only has the vocal chops but his egotistic manipulation of the character is spot on. The relationship he has with Carol could be any father daughter dynamic; not just the entertainment world. He thinks he is sweet and caring but we all see how boorish he really is. You don’t really hate him; you just shake your head at how clueless he is. The rest of the cast Bell grabbed from past projects and ones she could rely on to bring the goods. It is a near perfect ensemble and one that works well together.

In A World is rated R for language including some sexual references. As mentioned earlier this is an adult comedy but is neither rude, gratuitous, nor perverse. The language isn’t rampant or flagrant. In a genre where everything is about relationships, sex, and fidelity, Bell gives us a film that is fresh, pleasing, and much needed. I give it 4.5 out of 5 smoothies. I’ll see it again and probably again.

Matt Mungle

Review copyright 2013 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.

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