Wonder Boys

Play trailer

1:58

Wonder Boys

R

2000

1h 52m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

123 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years -- not since he wrote his award-winning Great American Novel 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire do wonders in this clever dark comedy.

Read Critics Reviews

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/29/2010

4/5

This grand mess of a movie has many pleasures.

Go to Full Review

Emanuel Levy

Variety

04/05/2007

A-

Michael Douglas gives the best perfromance of his career (to be remembered at Oscar time) in this screwball comedy about a college professor who's pushed into maturity by forces beyond his control; a well-acted coming-of-age saga for adults.

Go to Full Review

Time Out

01/26/2006

Wonder Boys digresses so entertainingly, you forget how quickly Grady got into the mess he's in, and can't imagine where we might be headed.

Go to Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

09/02/2022

B

This outwardly gloomy movie is as gentle and pleasant a film as we’re likely to get from a major studio this year.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

02/17/2022

4/4

Wonder Boys reminds us that life is about putting one sentence after another, knowing when to start the next chapter, and realizing when it's time to discard your progress altogether and start something new.

Go to Full Review

Tony Black

Cultural Conversation

02/16/2021

3/5

Classy but listless existential privilege.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ben W

@Username618 Jun 25

Kind of enjoyable. So. Mr Michael Chabon, the author, apparently did really have a spiralling, illegible book problem (that he could laugh about! evidently).

See more

James L

@FincherArchive Feb 19

The best on screen love interest Robert Downey jr has ever had was Tobey Maguire.

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 Feb 6

Funny in 1 hour and 52 minutes. Rated R for Language and Drug Content.

See more

Stephen P

@RT71503727 Nov 29

I have no idea how I managed to miss this film in the past. Hugely enjoyable. Great acting and a funny, quirky story line. Michael Douglas plays his part so well and the supporting cast are superb. The dead dog in the car trunk was strangely hilarious.

See more

Max W

@RT65350549 07/23/2025

This was a fun and endearing story. Toby Maguire was fantastic.

See more

David H

@RT75968152 03/24/2025

Quirky and amusing with some fine leading performances. In its lighthearted acceptance of sexual relations across the generations its tone might prevent it being made today.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Curtis Hanson

Director

Michael Douglas

Grady Tripp

Tobey Maguire

James Leer

Frances McDormand

Sara Gaskell

Robert Downey Jr.

Terry Crabtree

Katie Holmes

Hannah Green

View more videos

Varsity Blues

47%

76%

Varsity Blues

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Varsity Blues

Primary Colors

80%

64%

Primary Colors

Watchlist

Mean Machine

32%

72%

Mean Machine

Watchlist

The Best Man

71%

86%

The Best Man

Watchlist

Bamboozled

53%

74%

Bamboozled

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Bamboozled

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Wonder Boys: Trailer 1

1:58

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years -- not since he wrote his award-winning Great American Novel 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.

Director: Curtis Hanson
Producer: Curtis Hanson, Scott Rudin
Screenwriter: Michael Chabon, Steve Kloves
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Scott Rudin Productions, Mutual Film Company, BBC, MFF, Curtis Hanson Productions, Paramount Pictures, Marubeni Corporation
Rating: R (Language|Drug Content)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 25, 2000, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Nov 10, 2000
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $19.4M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)