Wonderland Movie Review 2003

Inferior true-crime drama about down-on-his-luck, druggie porn star John C. Holmes (Kilmer) who got mixed up in a 1981 quadruple homicide at 8763 Wonderland Avenue, where Holmes partied and bought his drugs. Kudrow, in a standout performance, plays his long-suffering wife Sharon and Bosworth his much-younger girlfriend Dawn. While emphasis is on the crime and what role Holmes played in it, pic may have benefited from further exploring the relationship between Sharon and Dawn, who became life-long friends. The anatomically gifted Holmes, is adequately portrayed by Kilmer. Told in confused, back and forward chronology, events and motivations muddle an interesting story much better articulated in director Anderson's fictitious but far superior ode to the porno industry, "Boogie Nights."

Distribution

CinemaNow, 4553 Glencoe Ave., Ste. 200, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, URL: http://www.cinemanow.com, Remarks: Formerly known as Lions Gate Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 99 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Crime, L.A., Period Piece: 1980s, Drug Use & Abuse, Homicide, Pornography, Ex-Cons

Screenplay

James Cox, Captain Mauzner, Todd Samovitz, D. Loriston Scott

Cast

Val Kilmer, Kate (Catherine) Bosworth, Lisa Kudrow, Dylan McDermott, Eric Bogosian, Josh(ua) Lucas, Christina Applegate, Tim Blake Nelson, Ted Levine, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Janeane Garofalo, Franky G., M.C. Gainey, Carrie Fisher, Faizon Love

Cinematography

Michael Grady

Director

James Cox

Music

Michael A. Levine

Other

Steve Morrow, Jeff McEvoy, John R. Zachary, Kte Healey, Franco-Giacomo Carbone

Producer

Mike Paseornek, Holly Wiersma, Lions Gate Films