In a World... 2013

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Ms. Bell, who plays Carol with a perfect blend of diffidence, goofiness and charm, has written and directed an insightful comedy that is much more complex and ambitious than it sometimes seems. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: It's the kind of low-key movie that vanishes from memory relatively quickly. But watching it is an unexpected pleasure. Read more

Mike D'Angelo, AV Club: At times, Bell seems to forget her premise entirely. But there are enough solid gags-even if many of them are barely germane to the voiceover biz-to confirm her abundant talent. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: [It's] smart, sharp in all the right places and funny. Beyond that, it's got heart. Even the jerks are OK to be around, at least for a time. And this world seems to be full of them. Read more

Peter Keough, Boston Globe: Bell wrote and directed the film and also stars, and her voice, sensibility, timing, and pitch-perfect ear for the absurd layer every scene. Read more

Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader: There's a difference between paying your dues and self-abasement, but you wouldn't know it from this overstuffed and joyless film. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: Bell's debut feature is pretty terrific. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: An indie comedy as surprisingly tender and wise as it is deftly wise-cracking. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: Bell has built a sweet comedy that manages to be a bit romantic, a bit political and hugely enjoyable. Read more

Amanda Mae Meyncke, Film.com: 'In a World...' is pretty much a perfect movie, chock full of fun, endless laughter, realistic love and that all-important magical movie ingredient - originality. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: The world of Hollywood voice-over talent provides a ripe backdrop for Lake Bell's funny and engaging directorial debut. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: "In a World..." is completely endearing. I can't wait to see what Bell will do next. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: Lake Bell's In A World... desperately wants to be clever, and sometimes it is. But not as often as you hope it will be. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: Mostly it's about family - about sisterly bonding, about domineering fathers, about long-lost, still-missed mothers. About any adult child's fight to establish herself as an independent entity. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: A sparky combination of workplace satire, family tapestry and hipster star-is-born goofs, "In a World ..." is able to pitch its theme in several places. Read more

Sara Stewart, New York Post: This is Bell's show, and she proves herself a versatile comedian, a first-rate impressionist (check out her Russian "Star Wars" stormtrooper!) and a shrewd satirist, especially of her own gender. Read more

Michael Sragow, Orange County Register: This comedy about a gawky female voice-over artist is disarmingly graceful, generous, even life enhancing. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: It's an exhilarating comic rush called In a World... and in it Lake Bell spins inspired lunacy around the subject of, among other things like family dysfunction, sexual healing and female empowerment, voiceovers. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: It's a movie to make you happy to see the next movie written, directed and starring Lake Bell. She has an engaging presence and has a distinct comic sensibility. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: You can almost see the plot points being shuffled around like index cards as the movie unreels. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: It's not only a fresh and funny spoof of the movie business, it represents a real-life triumph within it. Read more

Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times: Can't wait to see what Lake Bell the filmmaker does next. Read more

Adam Nayman, Globe and Mail: Bell summons up a rich creative voice and projects it at just the right volume. Everything in this cheerful, concise comedy rings out loud and clear. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: This feature debut by writer/director Lake Bell, who also takes the lead role, finds a bastion of previously unexplored male chauvinism that makes for grand mirth. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: It's rare to complain that a movie has too many ideas, but it feels as though Bell took every last notecard off of her bulletin board and crammed them into a single screenplay. Read more

Anna Smith, Time Out: Like her character, Bell has made herself a contender in a male-dominated industry. And a damn funny one at that. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: With so many ideas to work with, why does Bell infantilize her elsewhere-confident main character as yet another disheveled woman-child? Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: A clever, likable comedy that sends up sexism, satirizes Hollywood, examines family ties and features a surprisingly tender romance at its core Read more

John Anderson, Variety: To call Lake Bell a magnetic, intelligent, blithely screwball leading lady in the Carole Lombard tradition might be selling her short. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Village Voice: Bell has made a lively, modern screwball comedy with a terrible title; the dialogue moves fast and sometimes takes nutty, unexpected loops, like puppies scrambling over one another in a basket. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: [Bell's] smart, enjoyable writing-directing debut in which she finally, deservedly stars. Read more