In A World… Movie Review (2013)
Not every film can hit it out of the park, and In A World… is the perfect movie to put on in the background. Not bad and not outstanding, it is just entertaining enough.
We need light and fluffy comedies in this world. There is so much stress and weight on each one of us every day that escapism comes in handy. I just wish that this film took you somewhere.
In A World… is a movie about Carol, the daughter of a famous voiceover actor, who wants to break into the world of voiceover, but continues to be told that it’s not a place for women’s voices. When the most famous voiceover actor dies, the hunt begins for a new voice to take his place. Carol, her father Sam, and another rising voiceover actor, Gustav, all compete for the position.
One of the most interesting things about this movie is the initial premise. Don LaFontaine, the aforementioned famous voiceover actor, was a real person and you likely know his voice. He is known for using the words, “In a world…” in various platforms as well as being the voice for many movie trailers, documentaries, and television openings.
Unfortunately, the movie never really goes on much of a journey. Some events happen – there are some marital issues between Carol’s sister and her husband, their father has a relationship with a younger woman, and Carol and Gustav meet up at a party – but none of it takes you anywhere. You are likely supposed to see Carol develop her voice (literally and figuratively) between the beginning and end of the film, but I never totally felt it.
Nothing stuck out as being “bad” other than one thing. There is some usage of the “R-word” that I couldn’t figure out. I would argue that slurs have a place in film if they drive the story, are used as character development, or have some additive reason, but these just hung out there. They were used to introduce an awkward situation that could have been done in countless other ways. Again, I don’t have a problem with slurs if used for a real reason, but this just felt needlessly gratuitous and absolutely unnecessary. In the end, it just made me uncomfortable from the beginning.
There are a few fun cameos in the film, including Eva Longoria who shows up for a few scenes in the first act. It’s kind of fun when you feel like a writer or director (both of whom are Lake Bell, who also stars alongside Tig Notaro, Fred Melamed, and Nick Offerman among others) has called up their friends and said, “Want to hang out with me on set for a day or two?” I don’t know that this happened, but with a few of the faces that show up, you get that niggly feeling.
In A World… is cute and light and nothing super special, but also not bad. It is the definition of “totally fine” for me, so if you’re looking for something to watch that is good background entertainment, this would be it.
Runtime: 92 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No, unless you’re paying bills and looking for something to put on
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Plex, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
