The Great New Wonderful
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Danny Leiner (director), Sam Catlin (writer) |
| Products | Comedy-drama film |
The Great New Wonderful is a 2005 American comedy-drama motion picture penned by Sam Catlin and helmed by director Danny Leiner. Featuring performances by Naseeruddin Shah, Tony Shalhoub, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Olympia Dukakis, the narrative delves into the experiences of various New Yorkers one year following the September 11 attacks. The film had its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22, 2005, and was subsequently released across the United States on June 26, 2006.
Plot
Set in Manhattan during September 2002, The Great New Wonderful unfolds through interconnected vignettes that highlight themes of perseverance and emotional struggle.
Notable storylines include:
- A therapist-client relationship between an accountant (Jim Gaffigan) and his subtly confrontational psychologist (Tony Shalhoub).
- Two Indian immigrants assigned to provide security for an official visitor.
- A determined pastry chef (Maggie Gyllenhaal) crafting a business proposal aimed at capturing New York’s competitive cake industry.
- A Brooklyn homemaker (Olympia Dukakis) engaged in creating collages while her spouse smokes outside on their balcony.
- The Burbage couple (Judy Greer & Tom McCarthy) confronting marital difficulties alongside their remarkably mature ten-year-old son.
Cast
- Olympia Dukakis — Judy Hillerman
- Jim Gaffigan — Sandie
- Judy Greer — Allison Burbage
- Maggie Gyllenhaal — Emme Keeler
- Tom McCarthy — David Burbage
- Sharat Saxena — Satish
- Naseeruddin Shah — Avi
- Tony Shalhoub — Dr. Trabulous
- Edie Falco — Safarah Polsky
- Stephen Colbert — Mr. Peersall
- Jim Parsons — Justin
- Seth Gilliam – Clayton
- Will Arnett – Danny Keeler
- Tony Kushner – Himself
- Ari Graynor – Lisa Krindel
- Julie Dretzin – Julie Driscoll
- Rosemarie DeWitt – Debbie
- Tonye Patano – Shirley
- Alex McCord – Jessilyn
- Dick Latessa – Jerry Binder
- Sam Catlin – Councilman Blenick
- Marilyn Chris – Phyllis
- Anita Gillette – Lainie
- David Costabile – Vending Machine Guy
- Meredith Ostrom – Anita
Reception
According to the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has earned a 73% approval rating from 41 critiques, averaging a score of 6.7 out of 10. The general consensus reads: "Set against the backdrop of post-9/11 New York, this poignant dramedy weaves together the lives of five unconnected individuals grappling with a shared, unspoken emotional unrest as they strive to reclaim normalcy." On the platform Metacritic, it holds a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on evaluations from 14 critics, categorized as receiving "mixed or average reviews."
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2005 films
- 2005 comedy-drama films
- American comedy-drama films
- Films directed by Danny Leiner
- Films scored by John Swihart
- Films set in 2002
- Films set in New York City
- Films based on the September 11 attacks
- 2000s English-language films
- 2000s American films
- English-language comedy-drama films