In a World… Dvd

In a World… is a 2013 American comedy film written, directed and co-produced by Lake Bell.

Plot

Sam Sotto is a Hollywood actor who is known as “king of voice-overs” for his extensive narration and voice-over work. He has recently published an autobiography and is about to receive a lifetime achievement award upon turning 60.

His 31-year-old daughter, Carol Solomon, is a struggling vocal coach who has always been overshadowed by her father. Carol agrees to help Eva Longoria to loop her accent as a British mob boss wife. Sam forces Carol to move out of his house so that he can live with his girlfriend Jamie, who is a year younger than Carol. Carol leaves to stay with her older sister Dani and her husband Moe.

An upcoming film series, The Amazon Games, plans to bring back the “In a world…” line made famous by the late Don LaFontaine. The trailer voice-over is highly sought after. Sam bows out so that his friend and heir-apparent, Gustav Warner, can assume the role, but Gustav develops laryngitis and fails to show up to a temp track recording. Carol happens to be at the studio doing other work with engineer Louis, and she substitutes for Gustav. Katherine Huling, the series’ executive producer, decides she wants Carol for the job instead. Carol also gets other voice-over work, but she neglects to tell her self-absorbed father about her newfound success. Gustav and Sam feel entitled and are dismissive of the unknown woman who “stole” the job from them.

Carol visits Dani at the hotel where Dani works as concierge. Intrigued by the voice of a flirtatious Irish guest, she asks Dani to interview and record him for her voice archive. During the interview, Dani pretends to be single.

Carol joins Sam and Jamie at a party at Gustav’s mansion. Gustav flirts with her, and Carol ends up staying the night. While waiting for Dani to come home from work, Moe listens to the recording of her interview with the hotel guest and is shocked at her lie. He leaves the apartment after she arrives.

Rumors spread quickly about Carol and Gustav. Gustav boasts to Sam of his night with some party-crasher, and when Gustav learns she is the woman in competition for the job, he decides to keep pursuing her, still not fully realizing who she is.

Sam and Jamie host a meal for Sam’s daughters. It comes out that Carol is the mystery woman in the running for the coveted job. Sam is indignant, furious at Gustav, and dismissive of Carol, causing her to leave angry. Sam vows to compete for the job himself.

Dani is distraught about her husband, and Carol secretly records her anguish, sending the message to Moe to help win him back.

Competition for the job heats up. All three must send recordings for the studio to decide among. Carol is ready to drop out, but Louis champions her cause, also explaining that he likes her. Carol admits she likes him, too. They work together to produce the audition recording, then party together afterwards. At the end of the night, Louis finally kisses her.

Though Carol is still angry at her father, Moe insists that she and Dani go to the Golden Trailer Awards, where Sam is due to receive a lifetime achievement award. There the trailer for The Amazon Games is revealed; Carol got the job and is elated. Sam storms off. Jamie berates him and threatens to leave him if he does not grow up and show support for his daughters. During his acceptance speech, Sam is magnanimous in victory, dedicating the award to his daughters. In the ladies room, Carol encounters Huling, who bluntly tells Carol that she was not the best person for the job, but was chosen for the greater meaning of having a woman in that role.

Carol goes back to her work as a voice coach, helping low self-esteem, high-pitched, squeaky-voiced women to speak less like a “baby doll” or “sexy baby” and be taken more seriously as mature women, using her voice-over on The Amazon Games trailer as their inspiration.

Cast

Lake Bell as Carol Solomon
Fred Melamed as Sam Sotto
Michaela Watkins as Dani Solomon
Ken Marino as Gustav Warner
Demetri Martin as Louis
Rob Corddry as Moe
Alexandra Holden as Jamie
Nick Offerman as Heners
Geena Davis as Katherine Huling
Eva Longoria as herself
Tig Notaro as Cher
Stephanie Allynne as Nancy
Jason O’Mara as Mr. Pouncer
Talulah Riley as Pippa
Melissa Disney as Melinda Chisney
Olya Milova as Mimi
Corsica Wilson as Stacy
Yelena Protsenko as Alla
Carly Chaikin as Excruciating
Janicza Bravo as Snacks
Marc Graue as himself
Joe Cipriano as himself
Mark Elliott as himself
Don LaFontaine as himself (archival footage)