Happiness is a State of Mind. A bittersweet comedy about families, friends and a frivolous fight against corporate institutions, Matthew Broderick plays Ben Singer, a failed children's folk singer, a newly unemployed proofreader and an every-other-weekend dad to his young daughter (Jodelle Ferland), who prefers pretty much anything to listening to her dad's pessimistic ramblings.
Struggling in all aspects of his life, Ben's only comforts come from smoking marijuana alone and regular chess games with his smart and opinionated Senegalese roommate Ibou (Michael Kenneth Williams). When Ibou is suddenly struck ill and an insensitive municipal employee exacerbates the emergency situation, Ben pours his energy into a lawsuit against the city for depraved indifference. Ben's life begins to turn around with the arrival of Ibou's beautiful and sexy sister Khadi (Sanaa Lathan) from Senegal, who moves into Ibou's room in Ben's apartment. As Ben suspects that it is his own cynicism corroding the beauty around him, he realizes that it's all a matter of perspective.
WONDERFUL WORLD is written and directed by Josh Goldin and stars Matthew Broderick, Michael Kenneth Williams, Sanaa Lathan, Jodelle Ferland, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ally Walker, and Philip Baker Hall. It features original music with a cameo performance by acclaimed musician Dan Zanes, the noted father of the modern independent kids' music movement.
Release:
January 8, 2010 (limited)
Premiere:
April 27, 2009 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City
Studio:
Ambush Entertainment / Back Lot Pictures / Cold Iron Pictures / K5 International / Magnolia Pictures
Genre:
Drama / Romance
Rating:
R for language, some drug use and sexual content
Running Time:
89 minutes
Writer:
Joshua Goldin
Producer:
Miranda Bailey, Matthew Leutwyler, and Glenn Williamson
Director:
Joshua Goldin
Cast:
Matthew Broderick..... Ben Singer Sanaa Lathan..... Khadi Phillip Baker Hall..... the Man Ally Walker..... Eliza Jodelle Ferland..... Sandra Michael Kenneth Williams..... Ibou esse Tyler Ferguson..... Cyril