Wonder Wheel (2017)

On Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator, his beleaguered wife, and the visitor who turns their lives upside-down.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple, Robert C. Kirk

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Justin Timberlake	...	Mickey
Juno Temple	...	Carolina
Robert C. Kirk	...	Boardwalk Vendor
Kate Winslet	...	Ginny
Jim Belushi	...	Humpty
Jack Gore	...	Richie
Tommy Nohilly	...	Humpty's Friend
Tony Sirico	...	Angelo
Steve Schirripa	...	Nick (as Steven R. Schirripa)
John Doumanian	...	Ruby's Bartender
Tom Guiry	...	Flirtatious Man at Ruby's (as Thomas Guiry)
Max Casella	...	Fishing Buddy
Gregory Dann	...	Fishing Buddy
Bobby Slayton	...	Fishing Buddy
Michael Zegarski	...	Fishing Buddy

Storyline

In the hustle and bustle of 1950s Coney Island, where the buzzing crowd comes and goes trudging slowly over the wooden boardwalks, silent stories of the everyday toilers who give life to the attraction unfold. Somewhere in a clam bar, there's the sad waitress Ginny, a one-time actress and now a suffering wife who's been given a second chance by the side of the well-intentioned but uncouth carousel operator, Humpty. On the other hand, there's Humpty's 26-year-old estranged daughter, Carolina, who left the familial nest and a preordained future seeking adventure as a mobster's wife; only to return home with her wings broken, begging for forgiveness. And from the lifeguard's high tower, where all is in plain sight, the young and charming lifesaver and hopeful playwright, Mickey, is the inadvertent but potent catalyst that binds everything together. Shattered dreams, reckless love and betrayal, all under the bright lights of Coney Island.

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Plot Keywords:

1950s | unfaithful wife | alcoholic | alcoholism | coney island | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic content including some sexuality, language and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site Official Site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

La rueda de la maravilla

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,403,237, 28 January 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amazon Studios, Gravier Productions, Perdido Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (ACES)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro took inspiration from the Coney Island paintings of artist Reginald Marsh in creating the look for the film.

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Goofs

The Chinese Scholar's Garden in Staten Island did not open until 1999.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mickey: [narrating] Coney Island, 1950's. The beach, the boardwalk. Once a luminous jewel, but growing relentlessly seedier as the tides roll in and out. Summers I work here on Bay 7. Comes the fall, I'm a student at New York University going for my Master's in European drama. I'm Mickey Rubin. Poetic by nature. I harbor dreams of being a writer. A writer of truly great plays, so I can one day surprise everyone and turn out a profound masterpiece.
Mickey: [to the camera] Anyhow. Let me get to the ...

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Connections

References Flying Down to Rio (1933)

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Soundtracks

Kiss of Fire
Composed by Lester Allen & Robert Hill
Performed by Georgia Gibbs, Glenn Osser and His Orchestra
Courtesy of Decca Music Group
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Critics Get It Wrong

It's very stagey yes, but there's nothing wrong with that, in fact I think that adds to the drama. Excellent movie with a brilliant performance from Kate Winslet, ignore the critics and enjoy.