Name: Retro Film Review: Next Stop Wonderland (1998)
Item: Next Stop Wonderland
Rating: 69
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

Romantic comedy is the most cliche-infested genre of today's Hollywood. So, it doesn't take much of an effort for film-makers to produce original romantic comedies. Straying only a little bit from the formula is enough for even the most predictable romantic comedies to look refreshing. Good example could be found in Next Stop Wonderland, 1997 film directed by Brad Anderson.

The plot is set in Boston where 30 years-old nurse Erin Castleton (played by Hope Davis) again finds that her long-time boyfriend Sean (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) has left her in order to pursue left-wing political causes across the world. Her wealthy mother Piper (played by Holland Taylor), displeased with her daughter's new solitude, intervenes by placing a lonely hearts ad for her. Erin meets small army of single men who are usually weird, pathetic or both. On the other side of town 34 year-old plumber Adam Monteiro (played by Adam Gelfant) is faced with different problems. He is determined to escape his family's criminal past and wants to become marine biologist, but so far he only managed to volunteer as a worker in city aquarium. Adam and Erin are perfect match, they constantly bump into each other at the street, but some time must pass before they finally get together.

Brad Anderson's film is in its essence typical romantic comedy, but the small details are enough to make it almost unrecognisable to all those who expected something associated with Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock. First, seldom used Boston locations look refreshing for this sort of film. Anderson also uses film-making style usually associated with documentaries. The casting is unconventional for this sort of film - protagonists are played by relatively unknown and not very glamorous actors. This, together with very good writing, adds to the film's realism. For example, Hope Davis is relatively attractive woman, but her looks are plain enough for the audience to accept her as simple nurse rather than character that wandered off from fashion shoot. Because of that the audience can identify with Hope Davis' and other characters - they look like ordinary people they can find on the street every day and the audience can recognise most of their problems. Next Stop Wonderland is far from being perfect - not very convincing crime subplot could have been left on the cutting-room floor – but, unlike most romantic comedies, it succeeds in being original and very entertaining at the same time.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on September 21st 2004)