Not all the little stories and vignettes work (some seem almost pointless), but most of the performances, especially a haughty luncheon under a veil of politeness with Gyllenhaal and Falco, are spot on, involving and revealing.
Overview
The Great New Wonderful weaves five stories against the backdrop of an anxious and uncertain post-9-11 New York City.
Director and cast
- Danny Leiner Director
- Olympia Dukakis as Judy Hillerman
- Jim Gaffigan as Sandie
- Judy Greer as Allison Burbage
- Maggie Gyllenhaal as Emme Keeler
- Tom McCarthy as Davie Burbage
- Sharat Saxena as Satish
- Naseeruddin Shah as Avinash aka "Avi"
- Tony Shalhoub as Dr. Trabulous
- Stephen Colbert as Principal Peersall
- Dick Latessa as Jerry Binder
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
It may be the 9/11 movie to which the most people can relate. For most of us, that date wasn't about personal heroics or losing loved ones or survival. It was about processing the impossible and realizing that life, with all its ups and downs, must go on.
Luminous, affecting, and at times humorous take on 9/11's aftermath.
While the film rarely imparts a true sense of messy everyday feelings and the strife of real life, the fine actors take your mind off the shortcomings.
Set on the one-year anniversary of the twin towers' collapse, the drama interweaves five stories about New Yorkers. It's a testament to the city's resolve to resume life as normal.
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