FOR WORSE (2026)

March 5, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. Starting over in life is really a misnomer. We like the phrase ‘new beginning’, but in fact, it’s just the next phase in our journey called life. Still, a significant break or traumatic event can certainly change one’s outlook and that’s what Amy Landecker (“Your Honor”) examines here with her feature film directorial debut. In addition to directing, Ms. Landecker also wrote the script, produced the film, and has the lead role.

The film opens with Lauren (Landecker) and her husband (Paul Adalstein) going through the final step of divorce with an oddball mediator (Simon Helberg, “The Big Bang Theory”). The scene is meant to be comedic, but mostly it’s too bizarre to generate laughs. The session ends and the husband goes home to his younger spiritual influencer girlfriend, while Lauren goes home to their 5 year old daughter, and unloads emotionally on her BFF Julie (Missi Pyle, CAPTAIN FANTASTIC, 2016), before heading to her first acting class.

It’s at the acting class led by teacher Liz (Gaby Hoffman, forever the little girl in FIELD OF DREAMS, 1989) where Lauren first meets Sean (Nico Hirago, BOOKSMART, 2019). Despite the age difference, the attraction leads them back to his place, where adulting clashes with the younger man’s bohemian lifestyle. Still, they agree to attend a wedding together – a weekend wedding celebration of one of their acting classmates. It’s a chaotic event where new characters are introduced and diversity runs rampant. A creepy magician (Ken Marino, ROLE MODELS, 2008) leeches onto Lauren, who physically collides with one of the brides’ dad (Landecker’s real life husband, Bradley Whitford), bringing a messy ending to the reception.

As a filmmaker, Landecker includes no shortage of contemporary touches (influencers, music, diversity) and homes in on generational divides – all while proving the point that ‘starting over’ at age 50 is a tough step emotionally. Perhaps the part about now being a single mom is underplayed, but it’s likely that was by design to show the Lauren character finding herself in this new phase. Although it’s billed as “a refreshingly honest, heartfelt, and hilarious take”, the argument could be made that only the first two apply, as the third feels too forced and unnatural in numerous scenes.

Theatrical release is expanding on March 6, 2026

WATCH THE TRAILER

2 Comments | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

IN A WORLD … (2013)

September 9, 2013

in a world1 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s always cool when an actor gets to pursue their first “all in” creative project. Two examples are Joseph Gordon-Levitt with Don Jon and the late Adrienne Shelly with Waitress. This time it’s Lake Bell who is writer, director and leading lady in a story about (at least partially) the empowerment of women in a male dominated field.

This is a very pleasant comedy with dramatic overtones. Ms Bell plays Carol, who is a voice/dialect coach with the dream of breaking into the good ol’ boys club of Voice Over acting. The title of the film was made famous the late great Don LaFontaine, who voiced hundreds of movie trailers that we all watched and listened to. The film begins with a little tribute to LaFontaine and sets the stage as the torch is passed to Sam (Fred Melamed, A Serious Man), who also happens to be Carol’s father, and cocky youngster Gustav (Ken Marino), who has a much different connection to Carol.

in a world3 The father-daughter issues abound as Sam of course believes Voice Over work should be limited to the deep, powerful voices of men. Carol also gets tossed into the relationship drama of her dad and his much younger girlfriend, the marital struggles of her sister (Michaela Watkins) and brother in law (Rob Corddry), and the workplace affections of her co-worker (Demetri Martin-Lewis). That’s a lot of sub-plots and it causes a loss of focus on Carol’s persistence to find her own voice, so to speak.

The quirkiness of Bell’s character also distracts a bit, but mostly she is charming and likable, and we really pull for her to succeed and overcome.  As a director, Bell does a nice job of helping us get to know the multitude of characters, and though there is much to garner interest, it’s just overload for the viewer. When the story focuses on Bell and her dad’s ignorance and competitiveness, the movie is at its best. This is definitely one to check out, and here’s hoping for more from Ms. Bell

NOTE: my fascination with screen voices was the subject a recent blog post entitled “Golden Voices of the Silver Screen”.  You can find it here: http://wp.me/pKvIs-10n

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: watching the good ol’ boys network take a few lumps

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: Fred Melamed creeped you out in A Serious Man … he takes the creep level up a notch here

watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZHBjLFu5is

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson