thisanant Equipped with a lot of talented actors and maybe the best performance of Michael Douglas , this is one of a kind movie , great story and chemistry among cast , fully hilarious . watchable multiple times

kennethraine This film is of the eccentric genre much like Harold Pinters The Caretaker. I felt, given the dialogue it should have been hilarious instead of quite continuously full of giggles, which it undoubtedly was. There is always a danger in transferring the written word from book form to stage play or film, in that meaning, nuance and timing are detrimentally changed. I think this is a case in point, though personally its at the "feel" level, i.e. I am aware something is just missing without knowing what it is in specific terms. I wonder if the author was collaborative and approving of Steve Kloves screenplay.It was as if sometimes the eccentric build up needed a conclusion or a punch line, even a throw away line. Even in excellent subtle work, the conclusion has to be "packaged" in nuance. I still loved its comical eccentricity, yet I sensed a work of genius unrealised.

Python Hyena Wonder Boys (2000): Dir: Curtis Hanson / Cast: Michael Douglas, Tobey Mcguire, Frances McDormand, Katie Holmes, Robert Downey Jr.: Intelligent comedy about brilliant individuals overwhelmed with dread. Michael Douglas plays a professor with writer's block. Tobey Maguire plays a burned out student whom Douglas allows vacancy until his parents are located. Interesting concept that contains a couple unnecessary subplots involving a stolen Marilyn Monroe jacket or the dead dog. Directed by Curtis Hanson as an excellent followup to his masterpiece L.A. Confidential. Douglas struggles with work and commitment as he cannot seem to finish his novel yet distracted by infidelity and his social surroundings. Maguire is superb as a student caught up in theft and drugs but through the care of others, finds redemption. Frances McDormand plays Douglas's infidelity partner whom is pregnant. One wonders whether her final decision is the right one. Katie Holmes plays a student with an obvious attraction to Douglas but fortunately doesn't act upon it. Robert Downey Jr steals moments as Douglas's editor but he is more or less curious as to whether anything is worth publishing. Grand scale screenplay full of detail about inner brilliance within unlawful nature. It shows just what a mess life can become before being torn in all directions like the pages of his new book scattering through the air and into the unknown. Score: 9 / 10

ereinion This 2000 Curtis Hanson film was the second best he made after L.A. Confidential and together with Bedroom Window. It is a story of two people of completely different background, a middle aged writing professor and his student and protégé. The professor, played by Michael Douglas in one of his strongest roles, is going thru a crisis and drinks a lot, after his younger wife has left him. He is also having problems finishing his second book. The young and bright but troubled protégé is played by Tobey Maguire. Then there is also Douglas' eccentric and flamboyant editor and friend played by the excellent Robert Downey Jr. A guy who is a swinger and according to Douglas "is gay, or thinks he is". Katie Holmes also appears as another of Douglas' students who is smitten with him but he rejects her advances.There are also a few really amusing side characters, such as the man Douglas and Downey Jr. dub VERNON HARDAPPLE, who gives the movie a comical edge. The whole movie is somewhat of a dark comedy really, with scenes like the one where Maguire kills a dog who attacked Douglas and Douglas has to keep his body in the trunk of his car for a week or at the end where the manuscript for his latest book flies away. When he's asked by Downey Jr if he has a copy, he replies "I have an alternative ending of the second chapter". This is what is so enjoyable with this movie: not only is it a character study drama but also a humorous oddball comedy with some exciting plot twists. In the end the roles are almost switched as Douglas the mentor starts to learn from Maguire the protégé and discovers that he has talent. This also helps him revitalize his own talent and get his life back on track. Frances McDormand also appears as Douglas' love interest who is also the chancellor of the university where he works and is pregnant with his child. Really enjoyable and trippy film, a semi-classic. Hanson once again hit bullseye with this.