In a World... (2013)

I first became aware of actress Lake Bell as a pretty, though seemingly not particularly talented supporting cast member on the first season of one of my favorite shows, Boston Legal. Bell's career would likely have remained a slight one had she not done what Billy Bob Thornton and others had done before her, namely write and direct herself in her own staring vehicle. The result of this effort for Ms. Bell is In a World... a likable comedy about a woman trying to make her way in the overwhelming male dominated world of theatrical trailer narration. Bell plays Carol Solomon, a voice coach and daughter of a famed narrative artist named Sam Sotto (Fred Melamed) who ends up in a competition with her father and another rising star in the voiceover world Gustav Warner (Ken Marino) to resurrect the titular catch phrase of the late voiceover legend Don LaFontain, for the trailer of an upcoming Hunger Games -esque film quadrilogy. Though primarily a vehicle for Bell the film has a number of likeable supporting performances from fellow lesser knowns Michaela Watkins, Demetri Martin, Talulah Riley and others. The film certainly paid off for Bell. since its release she has had the female lead roles in middle sized releases like Million  Dollar Arm and No Escape as well as a featured voice role in The Secret Lives of Pets. In a World... is a pleasantly small scale film, even though its about schilling epic movies, and I found myself rather charmed by it. In addition to seeing more of Lake Bell on screen, I would be interested in her doing more work behind the camera as well, I think she shows promise. ***