Carol Solomon (Lake Bell)

I really did not like this movie. Here is a so-so review of Lake Bell’s In a World, and … well … whatever. I can appreciate Bell’s homage to the late – and might I add – the great Don LaFontaine, the vocal talent nicknamed “the voice of God” who introduced with his thunderous voice many a movie trailer and advertisement with these three words: “In a World”. When he died in 2008, there was a scramble among voice actors to take his spot—most of them men.

Framed within satire undergirded with screwball comedy, Bell’s film critiques this male-dominated world through her character Carol Solomon whose father Sam Soto (played by Fred Melamad) is the very non-supportive jealous father of his daughter’s desire to break into that world. You will appreciate the value of the voice and its sound, and I must admit, Bell shines in her dramatization of this aspect of the film. You also will appreciate Bell’s feminist message, and that is women have voices in the world of voiceover talent, and these voices deserve to be heard. Carol’s own voice message mimics Don LaFontaine’s thunder, “Greetings Americans. Leave a message after the beep but not if you are going to mumble because a voice is not just a blessing; it is also a choice.”

Don LaFontaine, ‘the Voice of God’

Indeed she makes known that how one speaks, the timbre and pitch of the voice can influence the way people treat you; can be the deal breaker in a job interview. In her voice coach classes, she tells one female attorney who sounds like a “sexy baby” that may be great for the bedroom but am I really going to hire a ‘sexy baby’ to represent me in a patent infringement lawsuit … because women should sound like women!”

So why didn’t I like this movie? The costumes, the lighting, the set design, andeven the casting—all of it felt like a Woody Allen reject. Well, there you have it, but remember don’t mumble; speak clearly …

In a World Plays opens October 25 and plays through October 31.

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