The Big Picture
Michael Douglas stars in
Wonder Boys
as a university professor who is forced to face the creative failures of his career.
Wonder Boys
showcases Michael Douglas’ versatility as a performer, with the actor striking the delicate balance between the film’s humor and its more serious mental health themes.
Wonder Boys
received critical acclaim but did not perform well at the box office due to its marketing as award-winning fare rather than a mainstream commercial hit.
A challenge that many movie stars face as they enter the second stage of their careers is managing to retain their leading roles whilst finding a way to reinvent the persona that they’re often associated with. That challenge is certainly exacerbated for actors like Michael Douglas, who broke out in the industry thanks to a series of energetic, scene-stealing performances in films like Wall Street and Falling Down. While Douglas appeared in many erotic thrillers throughout the 1990s, he faced a fork in his career when the genre grew less popular in the subsequent decades. However, taking a chance on a smaller project can often be advantageous, as Douglas gave one of his greatest performances in the heartfelt literary dramedy Wonder Boys.
What Is ‘Wonder Boys’ About?
Image via Paramount Pictures
Helmed by L.A. Confidential and 8 Mile director Curtis Hanson, Wonder Boys examines the trials and tribulations of a university professor who is forced to address the creative failings of his career. Douglas stars as Professor Grady Tripp, a highly respected educator at an unnamed university in Pennsylvania, who harbors dreams of being an accomplished writer. While his first novel released decades prior was a significant success, Grady has been unable to find the same spark of inspiration that he had as a younger man. His chaotic personal life certainly does not do his creative writing any favors; Tripp’s wife, Emily (Elisabeth Granli), has left him, and he’s in the middle of an illustrious affair with the university’s Chancellor, Sara Gaskell (Frances McDormand).
Although Grady has earned the respect of an avid student body that enjoys his lectures, Douglas does a great job at showing a matured state of arrested development. Grady has essentially put off all responsibilities, choosing to pursue life with the same carefree attitude that his students do; between smoking marijuana and avoiding the attention of his idiosyncratic agent Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey Jr.), Grady is clearly chasing the lifestyle of a much younger man. However, Grady’s approach to his craft changes when he begins to pay attention to his young student, James Leer (Tobey Maguire). Although his writing is often inflammatory and borderline incomprehensible, James reminds Grady of the writer he has always wanted to be. By becoming the boy’s mentor, Grady feels he might be able to gain some insight into his own career.
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Although it was one of Maguire’s first major roles, Douglas does a great job sharing the screen with him. The two make for an engaging duo, as both characters are somewhat in denial about their future career prospects. James is so narrowly focused on his craft that he often ignores reality, forcing Grady to intervene on his behalf and act as a paternal figure. However, Grady is also forced to reckon with the reality that his new novel (which now runs at over 2,500 pages) has become his “white whale.” He had poured so many years of effort into a project he’s no longer passionate about because of his resistance to trying anything new. Douglas does a great job at showing how drastic circumstances force Grady to recognize the lies that he has been telling himself.
‘Wonder Boys’ Shows Douglas’ Versatility as a Performer
While it’s ostensibly a grounded drama about interpersonal relationships, Wonder Boys incorporates some elements of the comedy noir genre that make Douglas’ performance more impressive. After a party at the Chancellor’s house, Grady discovers that James had both shot his employer’s dog and stolen some valuable pieces of Old Hollywood memorabilia. While he’s not accustomed to covering up crimes, Grady is forced to hide evidence of James’ misdeeds throughout the weekend, fearing what James will do if left to his own devices. While there’s an inherently comic element to seeing Douglas trying to explain away his younger companion’s erratic behavior, Tripp’s loyalty to James stems from his genuine feelings of protectiveness.
Wonder Boys is often quite humorous thanks to the Academy Award nominated screenplay from Steve Kloves, who adapted the novel of the same name by Michael Chabon. However, it’s evident that Douglas takes the film’s discussions about mental health seriously. Initially, Grady grows frustrated when he begins to understand that James has been telling him stories about his tragic backstory in order to elicit his sympathy. However, he eventually comes to realize that this is because he desires an audience above all else. It’s a beautifully acted moment from Douglas, who is able to show Grady’s forgiveness for his younger companion by reflecting on his own legacy.
The Release of ‘Wonder Boys’ Was Mishandled
Image via Paramount Pictures
Wonder Boys was met with critical acclaim upon its initial release, with Roger Ebert naming it as one of the ten best movies of 2000. Unfortunately, Wonder Boys failed to make a significant dent at the box office due to an unusual marketing campaign, which failed to call attention to its more mainstream qualities. Positioning Wonder Boys as strictly an awards player seemed unusual, as the film’s compassionate approach to campus life made it well suited to reach viewers from diverse backgrounds. However, producer Scott Rudin chose to re-release the film after it received a series of Academy Award nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Original Song for Bob Dylan’s “Things Have Changed.”
While he was sadly snubbed of an Oscar nomination for his work, Douglas gave one of his most defining performances in Wonder Boys. In the subsequent decades, he would step into more supporting roles with the Ant-Man films and his return for the legacy sequel Wall Street: Never Sleeps. This perhaps makes Wonder Boys, a movie about the necessity of passing on one’s talents to the next generation, even more impactful as a result. It’s a role of nuance and class that only an actor of Douglas’ experience could have delivered with such grace.
Douglas is currently starring in the new historical drama Franklin. The first three episodes are now available to stream on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer below.
Wonder Boys is available to stream on Pluto TV in the U.S.
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