In a World…
where the script is witty
In a World…
(US, 2013)
Directed by Lake Bell
Review by Barbara Popel
Don LaFontaine’s nicknames included “The Voice of God” and “The King of Movie Trailers.” As a voice actor, he recorded more than 5,000 trailers from 1964 to 2008, spanning every genre from every major Hollywood film studio, as well as thousands of TV ads. His mellifluous bass voice was instantly recognizable to millions of viewers. He became identified with the phrase “In a world…”, such as “In a world where justice came from the barrel of a gun…” and “In a world where machines ruled…” And as he said in a Fox TV interview shortly before he died, “There’s hundreds of people doing voice work but only five of them get the money.” After he died in 2008, Hollywood’s voice actors saw an opportunity to become the next Don LaFontaine. And that’s where the delightful comedy In a World… begins.
Actually, the film starts by introducing us to Carol Solomon (Lake Bell, who also wrote and directed the film). Carol is a 31-year-old voice coach who is struggling to get her career off the ground. She announces, “This Wednesday, one woman will teach another woman to sound a little less retarded.” A lot of Carol’s work is teaching women – usually actresses – to sound better, not like “a sexy baby” or “a squeaky Minnie Mouse.” Her current client is Eva Longoria (played by Longoria herself), who needs to sound like a British mob boss’s wife. Carol also does occasional voice work on kids’ animated TV shows and TV ads. Small stuff.
She’s overshadowed by her very successful father, Sam Sotto (his professional moniker). Sam (played by Fred Melamed) is famous in the industry for his voice-over work and his deep bass voice. Sam is about to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Trailer Awards. He puts Carol in her place by telling her that “the (movie) industry does not crave a female sound,” and she should stick with what she’s best at – doing foreign accents. And he wants Carol to move out of his spare bedroom because his 30-year-old girlfriend Jamie (played by Alexandra Holden) is about to move in with him. So Carol moves in with her sister Dani (Michaela Watkins) and Dani’s husband Moe (Rob Corddry). All is not well in Dani and Moe’s marriage, and having Carol sleeping on their couch isn’t going to help things.
Carol heads to a recording studio. She’s oblivious that Louis, the shy sound engineer (Demetri Martin), is head over heels in love with her.
We find out that the sound producer of an upcoming four-part super-heroine epic, Amazon Games, plans to bring back the LaFontaine phrase “In a world” in the trailer. What an amazing opportunity for voice-over specialists! Initially, Sam decides to go to bat for a younger guy he’s been mentoring, Gustav Warner (Ken Marino). Then the competition for the job gets cutthroat.
Moreover, there are tangled romantic complications with the three couples: Carol and Louis, Dani and Moe, Jamie and Sam.
In a World… is both a sophisticated rom com and a great window into the movie business.
And I haven’t even told you about how terrific the actors are. I expect you’ve never heard of any of them, which is a great shame because each and every one of them is witty, charming and totally believable. In a world where real Hollywood talent is recognized, you would get to spend more time with these wonderful folks.
Running time: 93 minutes
Rated: PG
Available: CTV streaming, Google Play, Cineplex, YouTube, Amazon, Apple TV, Microsoft.
Barb Popel has been an avid filmgoer since the early 1970s. In her twice-monthly column Magic in the Dark in Apt613.ca, Barb recommends upcoming films at the ByTowne and the Mayfair.
