Every year at the Toronto International Film Festival, one movie stands head and shoulders above the rest. This year, that movie was Wonderland. Walking out of the theater, I couldn't help but think of how much I loved the movie. And almost a week later, the movie has only grown on me. Looking again at the trailer, at clips and photos, they only bring back a feeling that this movie is something special.
Simply stated, Wonderland is the story of a man with a 14" gift (no, not me) who, according to legend, slept with more than 14,000 woman (again, not me) and starred in more than 2,500 adult films (definitely not me). The movie is about the one and only John Holmes (Val Kilmer) and what happened after the magic, when the movies were over and all that remained were the drugs and the addictions. On July 1st, 1981, it all came to a boil when the sirens rang out, and the announcements came through the media about four grisly murders on Wonderland Avenue in the Hollywood Hills - and that porn star John Holmes was involved.
For those of you thinking that this is a porn movie, or a movie about the porn industy, don't be mistaken. Sure, porn legend John Holmes is at the center of the movie, but pornography is the furthest thing from the subject of this movie. It's the story of a man who unfortunately got caught up in the wrong things with tragic consequences. It's also the story of the women who loved him - not all 14,000, but two - his teenage lover, Dawn Schiller (Kate Bosworth) and Sharon Holmes (Lisa Kudrow), his first wife. Why did they still love him? Was it that special gift he had to offer them? Maybe. But it was probably because he was was such a charismatic guy. Hell, if he were alive today (he died of AIDS in 1988) I'd want to hang out with the guy!
If you've seen Boogie Nights, you may be familiar with the story of Wonderland. Remember the scene where Mark Wahlberg and his crew, desperate for cash and drugs, rob Alfred Molina. Well, in Wonderland John Holmes isn't in on the crime, but the rest is pretty much true. It makes me want to see Boogie Nights again to see what else I might have missed...
As the movie begins, we are introduced to the world of John Holmes and his girlfriend, Dawn Schiller. Dawn's just looking to get away. John's just looking for that one last score. And we're told the story that leads up to that fateful night that would change both of their
lives forever. Move to the second act - the day after. We're told what happened from the viewpoint of David Lind (Dylan McDermott).
Lind, along with Ron Launius (Josh Lucas) and Billy Deverell (Tim Blake
Nelson) helped Holmes with that "one last score" and robbed
nightclub owner Eddie Nash (Eric Bogosian). Although Holmes didn't
participate in the robbery, Lind tells the police his version, and fingers Holmes for
double-crossing them and helping Nash seek revenge against those
responsible. In the final act, Holmes is brought in for questioning, and we
hear his side of the story. Of course, there's always three sides to every story. Here, there's Lind's side, Holmes' side and of course what really happened, which we learn from Sharon Holmes as the movie concludes.
I read that Matt Dillon was originally cast in the role of John Holmes. I can't imagine that. Actually, I can't imagine anyone other than Val Kilmer pulling off this role. I had never seen a Kate Bosworth movie before this one. Consider me a fan now. She played the role perfectly. Her scene with Eric Bogosian was particularly heartbreaking. I had my doubts about Lisa Kudrow, but she really only showed up in the last half of the movie, and she didn't suck. For me, Josh Lucas was a bit over the top, but I guess that's to be expected from his character, a coked up asshole. The rest of the cast, from Dylan McDermott to Tim Blake Nelson
to Ted Levine, were all fantastic. As a director, James Cox made all the right moves. Add to it all a kick-ass soundtrack and you've got a nearly flawless movie. If I had one complaint it's that I left the theater wanting more.
Like I said before, this movie is something special that needs to be seen. It worries me that it won't be considered awards material due to the subject matter, and that's a shame. From the story to the direction, to the performances, this movie deserves to be seen. At the same time it's comedic, dramatic, action-packed and heartbreaking. Shakespeare himself couldn't have come up with a better story - and what's more incredible is that it's based on a true story. Unbelievable.
 
- 9.5/10
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