When I look back at my own old writing samples, I sometimes wince. Sure, there are some times when I’m happy with a phrase I turned or a particular way I said something, but there are just as many times where I see what I could have done better. At the same time, I also see the roots of my current style and the writer I’ve become.
That’s why I’m somewhat excited to see what Lake Bell does the next time she sets out to write and direct a film. There are some promising things in her first effort at that, “In a World …” — a film about the daughter of a vocal artist attempting to break into the film trailer business, over the objections of her chauvinist father. Bell manages to break out of the formula of romantic comedy, and the movie is amusing and at sometimes even funny.
But for the most part, it doesn’t so much swing between dramatic and funny as it ends up stuck somewhere in the middle. There’s a subplot that seems to be little more than a vehicle for creating a character for Rob Corddry. And while the movie is well-acted and Bell seems to be a fine director, there’s just an “it” factor to the film that’s missing. If she’s aiming for something higher than romantic comedy, she doesn’t quite hit it. If she’s aiming for nothing more than a few jokes, she needs to lighten it up a bit.
The movie is still pleasant enough to watch. Bell manages to be charming and awkward at the same time, coming off as a less-goofy but no less enjoyable Tina Fey. There are some moments that are emotionally moving, even powerful. And the ending manages to be happy and hopeful without being saccharine or contrived.
It’s a solid first effort that points toward a promising career for Bell as more than just an actress. She might not have smashed a home run with this one, but she showed that she’s learning how to hit.
