In a World... (2013)

I've been on a kick of watching these smaller, less conventional, and heartfelt romantic-comedy-drama films. 'In a World...' provides the endlessly likable Lake Bell a platform to flex her comedic talent with a bit of unique drama mixed in. Making a film about the trailer voice over guys? Not only is that a fascinating story to tell, but it's one that hasn't really been touched upon before, and is mostly a forgotten element of filmmaking.I'm now in my mid 20's and only sort of remember a time when every trailer used a deep voice over guy to provide narration and intrigue for each movie - no matter the genre - coming soon to theaters. When I really started to get into watching movies and scoping the webs for trailers, the voiceover was all but removed from the process. It's crazy to think that these extremely talented humans were all of a sudden jobless. Although this film doesn't take an overly serious approach, it's hard not to feel the weight of the situation when some of these people realize their job is about to change.Lake Bell plays the daughter of one of the most famous voiceover figuresin the business and she somehow-someway stumbles her way into the business herself. The best part about it is that Bell actually steps up to the plate and does well when the task is hers to provide epic narration. I'm not saying I want this element to ever return to trailers, but I'm never opposed to hearing Bell's witty commentary on any particular subject. I was thinking about this as I watched, but Bell is very much like Greta Gerwig in that she has a knack for displaying goofy and heartfelt into a well-rounded character effortlessly. Seriously, give me them two in any genre of film and I'm there opening night.As a whole, 'In a World' does feel a little short and not as clean cut as I would have liked it to be. I was honestly left feeling like I could have used another 15-20 minutes of screen time for some of the smaller arcs to hit home the way I hoped. However, it's a re-watchable film about a fascinating subject matter with a charismatic lead. That was enough for me.8.4/10

Not at all bad, but not great or memorable. Given her talents and experience, it seems that Bell might have done better with her first feature if she'd made a sketch-driven comedy, and saved a comedy with a serious side for a later outing. As it is, there aren't enough of the funny bits, while more or less everything about the serious side falls flat.The dramatic elements, the depth of the character and writing, the framing and composition, the social satire; they're all pretty slight. The tone shifts back and forth between a sort of pure-laughs comedy (Anchorman etc) and a serious comedy or satire (some Woody Allen, Noah Baumbach etc). The clash inherent in this tone shift undercuts the serious side rather forcefully. If that weren't enough, the serious elements in themselves are pretty sophomoric.However, it is enjoyable and warm-hearted, and Bell shows some chance of a better outing in the future

I could easily see someone trying to watch "In a World" and giving up on it after a while. After all, there are a few slow moments and it's easy to hate several of the characters. However, DON'T!!! Stick with this one, as it gets better and better the longer you watch it. Plus, it's a wonderful chance to see a lesser-known actress prove she can do it all, as Lake Bell not only stars in this likable film but wrote it and directed as well!!! This speaks a lot for her future in movies.Carol (Bell) is the daughter of one of the most famous voice-over actors there is. His voice has introduced many, many films and she hopes to follow in his steps. However, one serious problem stands in her way--traditionally these jobs go to men. Sure, she might be able to do some cartoon voices or give personal speech coaching but the sort of work her dad does just seems nearly impossible-- especially when her god-awful and highly competitive father decides to try to take the job for himself. He certainly didn't need the work and this strange part of his personality and the family dynamics make this film special. I particularly liked the father's very young wife. She ISN'T typical of such a person at all and turns out to be a highly complex and terrific person in her own right. Overall, a very special film and I can't wait to see more from Bell--this woman sure has something good in her future.

Lake Bell is appealing in the lead role as Carol, an aspiring voice-over artist, and as writer/director she's come up with a unique variation on a familiar indie formula: 30-something slacker gets kicked out of the nest. There's a lot going on—Michaela Watkins and Rob Corddry as Carol's sister and brother-in-law get a whole little romcom to themselves—but Carol's various struggles, professional, romantic and familial, mesh together very well. The cast is impressive: nice to imagine that somebody would cast Eva Longoria as a Cockney gangster's moll (though not in this movie, I'm glad to say), and Geena Davis turns up briefly as a studio exec who delivers a crucial message, maybe THE crucial message. Fuzzy, flabby Fred Melamed ("A Serious Man") is definitely the go-to guy when you need an overbearing a••hole, though Ken Marino seemed a little too cartoony as Carol's voice-over rival—more like an escapee from a Christopher Guest movie. Wouldn't have minded seeing more more about the worrrrld of Hollywood voice artists and dialect coaches; it's refreshing to watch a film where the characters do something real and don't just have vague glamour jobs as lawyers or architects (mainstream) or toil away as peons on a cube farm (indie). Available on streaming Netflix.