In a World …
“I hope this leads to one of those ‘Previously on …’ TV gigs.”
The affable In a World … is the first feature written and directed by actress Lake Bell, who also stars as a voice-over artist struggling to break into an industry dominated by men, including her legendary father. Although In a World … won Bell a screenwriting award at the Sundance Film Festival, what's more compelling is how well this low-key comedy exhibits her charms as an actress. Heretofore stuck in character roles, Bell proves that she is a viable and appealing lead, salty and sullen, yet utterly likable. This is basically a nice business-card movie that allows Bell to display a range of skills, with a Hollywood-insider hook designed to appeal to influential industry folks. Still, the film's unsteady tone and meandering narrative are telltale signs of a first-time filmmaker's learning curve, and the stakes in the third-act payoff are excessively low.
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