48
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 60The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckThe Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckTales of cynical curmudgeons rediscovering their humanity have long been a cinematic staple, but Wonderful World brings a refreshing lack of sentimentality to its take.
- 60The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenThe major miscalculation in Wonderful World is the presence of a dream figure, known as the Man (Philip Baker Hall)...he throws this delicate, intelligent film, which at its best suggests a muted hybrid of “The Visitor” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” off balance.
- 60New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierNew York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierAs a misanthropic guy in a dead-end job, Matthew Broderick is more engaging than when he has to be perky.
- 50VarietyVarietyJoshua Goldin's directing debut has soulful qualities that have been compressed into a paint-by-numbers production.
- 50The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasBroderick’s tendency to hang all his problems on corporate greed and heartless bureaucracy leads to some strange missteps.
- Josh Goldin, a longtime screenwriter whose credits include "Darkman" and "Out on a Limb" -- and whose wife is a writer at the L.A. Times -- makes his debut as a writer-director with Wonderful World. The results of Goldin's dual efforts are promising but uneven.
- 50San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco ChronicleThe screenplay packs no particular surprises - some of the plot mechanics positively creak - but the leads bring some wattage and warmth to very modest indie fare.
- 40Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichCredit Broderick and the cast for putting across the fey Indiewood bullcrap with committed, nearly convincing effort.
- 38New York PostKyle SmithNew York PostKyle SmithMatthew Broderick graduates from "boyish" and lurches straight into "curmudgeonly" in the would-be indie heartwarmer Wonderful World.
- 30Village VoiceMelissa AndersonVillage VoiceMelissa AndersonIt's heartbreaking to see Lathan, an underemployed actress whose talents were last put to good use in 2006's "Something Else," in such a ridiculous, impossible role.