Wonderland

Critics Consensus

A film that tackles something as simple as everyday life and succeeds beatifully. The witty script and clever direction keep the film flowing, while the superb acting keeps it alive. It doesn't aim for the sky and for that reason it hits its mark.

63%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 70

85%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 3,138
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Movie Info

Eileen and Bill are marooned in a loveless marriage, both hurt by the estrangement of their youngest child, Darren. They are closer -- if only in proximity -- to their three daughters: eldest sister Debbie is a hard-partying hairdresser, separated from her ne'er-do-well husband Dan and raising their son Jack; Nadia is a lonely waitress who searches for love through the personals, which is how she meets Tim; and Molly, who's in a committed relationship with Eddie, is expecting their first child. All will find the foundations of their relationships shifting in surprising, ruefully funny and emotional ways during the boisterous annual "Bonfire Night" in South London.

Cast

Shirley Henderson
as Debbie
Gina McKee
as Nadia
Molly Parker
as Molly
Ian Hart
as Dan
John Simm
as Eddie
Stuart Townsend
as Tim
Kika Markham
as Eileen
Jack Shepherd
as Bill
Enzo Cilenti
as Darren
Sarah-Jane Potts
as Melanie
Peter Marfleet
as Jack
David Fahm
as Franklyn
Ellen Thomas
as Donna
Nathan Constance
as Alex
Anton Saunders
as Bloke in Bed with Debbie
Abby Ford
as Nurse
Michelle Jolly
as Midwife
Rebecca Lenkiewicz
as Policewoman
Vanessa Pratt
as Kelly
Michael Hodgson
as Kitchen Shop Father
Emma Sear
as Kitchen Shop Mother
Megan Sear
as Kitchen Shop Baby
Nuno Vaz
as Portuguese Neighbour
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Critic Reviews for Wonderland

All Critics (70) | Top Critics (24)

View All Critic Reviews (70)

Audience Reviews for Wonderland

  • Dec 28, 2011
    It's impossible not to be easily fascinated by Europe's invigorating, cheap-looking documentary-style of filmmaking. Winterbottom uses such humble resource and makes an insightful look to the difficulties and misadventures of the easiest characters to identify with in their daily urban life. One of the year's finest and better than any Academy Award nominated flick of 1999 except for <i>The Matrix</i>. 97/100
    Edgar C Super Reviewer
  • Feb 10, 2011
    caught this on TV without knowing who it was by and I was instantly captivated. The first thing is that it's filmed and set where I live, around the Elephant and Castle and Walworth Road, and it's about the people I see every day. It's absolutely spot on about the kind of lives people around here lead and the way individuals and different social groups interact. What lifts it above the sort of social realism common in British cinema is the cutting, the cinematography and Michael Nyman's lovely music, which must be his best work post-Greenaway. While I've never been a big fan of the 'poetry of degradation' school of art, somehow the ugliness and squalor of South East London are transformed by this film and the lives of the characters are invested with real dignity. Though it may deal with the same sort of subject matter as Ken Loach or Mike Leigh, the style and approach are very different - the difference between a great piece of prose and a poem. I guess you could say Winterbottom and Nyman do for London what Scorsese and Herrmann did for New York in Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. This is a beautiful film and I feel real gratitude to Michael Winterbottom for bringing our lives to the screen in such a way.
    Cassandra M Super Reviewer
  • Jul 16, 2008
    this is a good movie, but another depressing movie.... the part where she poisoned the dog made me feel sick
    Paul A Super Reviewer
  • Dec 15, 2007
    Good movie. An interesting story plot.
    Leo L Super Reviewer
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