IN A WORLD…

US, 2013, 93 minutes, Colour.
Lake Bell, Rob Corrdry, Demetri Martin, Geena Davis,
Directed by Lake Bell.

In a World… words maybe very familiar to moviegoers who take notice of trailers for forthcoming films and the words and tone of the voice-over talent. Don La Fontaine was celebrated, in real life, for using these words in many of the introduction to the trailers. This fictitious story, based on fact, takes up the issue of who was to succeed him in doing these significant voice-overs. Hence the title, In a World…

The film is the work of actress, Lake Bell, who has written the screenplay and directed the film, as well is taking one of the central roles. She has done quite a fine job for the film and won an award at the Sundance Festival for the screenplay.

She plays one of two daughters of a vain father who fancies himself and his voice talent, tends to put down his daughters, and is taken up with a wife half his age. He also has a candidate for the new voice-over talent because he is retiring.

Carol (Lake Bell) is still diffident because of the suicide of her mother and the repressive attitudes of her father. She relies on her sister and her sister’s husband. She is also interested in a technician who records auditions, who is interested in her, but is also very diffident. In the meantime, she goes to a party thrown by a celebrity who is also after the role will. She has an attachment to him – and then finds that he is the talent.

The film takes us into a fairly isolated world, even with their own annual awards for commercials and trailers. This is quite interesting in itself, and the characters are well brought to life, even though most of them are quite unsympathetic. Geena Davis appears at the end, the producer of the new quadrilogy (instead of the expected trilogies like those for the Twilight series and Three Hunger Games).

A small, small-budget, independent film which, nevertheless, entertains in its own right.

1. The audience’s entry into a different world, an unfamiliar world? The world of entertainment and movie trailers? The world of commercials and voice-over? The world of voice talent, their work, rivalries and competition, awards, lifetime achievement? Personal stories?

2. Lake Bell, actress, writer, director? Her perspective on this different world?

3. The title, Don La Fontaine, his long career, success, the clips, admiration for him? His using the phrase for many trailers beginning, ‘In the world…’.The search for a successor?

4. The visuals of the drama, personalities, reputations, work for auditions, success and failure, changing voices to those required for voice-over? The awards?

5. The portrait of Carol, in herself, a talent, her being put down by her father? His domination, meals, meetings? Being insecure, the pattern of her life, her mother killing herself? The bonds with Danny? Siblings? Her liking Lewis? Her job, her voice coaching and clients, dubbing for Eva Longoria, the award of the trailer voiceover, the parody of the four part adaptations of novels, quadrilogy? The Amazons in the trailer? Warner wanting the job, Carol undecided about the party, her going, the red dress, looking at his anthropological room, the sexual experience, leaving? her being upset about Danny and the breakup of the marriage? Her father and his disdain? The awards, her father’s anger about her winning the job, his finally dedicating of his award to his daughters?

6. Jamie, young, with Sam, Carol and Danny against her? Yet nice, sensible, preparing meals, socials, her threats to Sam and telling him off? Satisfaction with his dedication?

7. Lewis, gawky, his work, his secretary and her inappropriate interventions, going to the party with her instead of Carol, the secretary being sick? With Carol, their talking, each happy to discover that they liked each other? His doing the auditions with her? Heading for a nice ending?

8. Warner, his ego, lavish home, rich, anthropological room, the party and the guests, the attraction to Carol, the night with her, the aftermath, discovering she was the rival? His clash with Sam, onstage introducing him, and the phoney bonhomie?

9. Danny, her work, her husband, nice at home, the Irishman and his accent, the kiss, the husband being upset, angry, ousting her? Her meetings with Carol, discussions, meals at home? Carol and her intervention? The husband coming home, the happy reunion?

10. Sam, his career in voice-over, his vanity, loud talking, the death of his wife, his putting down his daughters? Discouraging Carol? His relationship with Jamie, happy? Discovering that Carol was the rival for the job, his putting himself on the list again, the audition? His lifetime award, anger at the dinner, walking out, Jamie telling him off, his doing the right thing on the stage, the show with Warner, his acceptance speech, dedication?

11. Carol, meeting the producer of the quadrilogy, the explanation of the motivation? Not that Carol was the best but was the best for the situation?

12. The audience being immersed in the different world?