“IN A WORLD” My rating: B- (Opening Sept. 13 at the Tivoli)
93 minutes | MPAA rating: R
Model/actress Lake Bell recently posed for the cover of New York magazine wearing only body paint. But don’t hate her because she’s beautiful.
Because Bell is also a filmmaker with a wicked sense of humor. She makes her feature writing/directing debut with “In A World,” a screwball comedy set in contemporary Hollywood, specifically in the seething subculture of voiceover actors.
Lake Bell…cover girl
As if her duties behind the camera weren’t enough, she also stars in the film. Bell is something of an anomaly – a very attractive woman who seizes every opportunity to make herself look dorky and drab. Her self-effacing mien doesn’t seem to be a studied pose. From what I can gather she’s genuinely goofy, a modern-day Carol Lombard whose screen presence can dish high-octane satire while remaining absolutely lovable.
Here Bell plays Carol, a child of Hollywood who conducts voice classes. Among her clientele are a few actors and a lot of helium-voiced professional women whose careers have stalled because they sound like sexy infants.
Butler's Cinema Scene 