--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the surface, Wonder Boys seemed like…" description: "\"On the surface, Wonder Boys seemed like such a departure from L.A. Confidential - it's funny, it's contemporary, and so on - and yet at a certain point..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_on-the-surface-wonder-boys-seemed-like-s_2721528.jpg" --- # On the surface, Wonder Boys seemed like such a departure… ![“On the surface, Wonder Boys seemed like such a departure from L.A. Confidential - it's funny, it's contemporary, and so on - and yet at a certain point, I had a feeling that reminded me how I felt when I was shooting L.A. Confidential. I analyzed it for a while, and thought about how emotionally…” quote by Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_on-the-surface-wonder-boys-seemed-like-s_2721528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_on-the-surface-wonder-boys-seemed-like-s_2721528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/curtis-hanson-9380_boys_on-the-surface-wonder-boys-seemed-like-s_2721528.jpg) > “On the surface, Wonder Boys seemed like such a departure from L.A. Confidential - it's funny, it's contemporary, and so on - and yet at a certain point, I had a feeling that reminded me how I felt when I was shooting L.A. Confidential. I analyzed it for a while, and thought about how emotionally involved I was with the characters. Then I realized that in both movies, there are three main male characters and one female, and all of them are struggling to figure out what they're doing with their lives, independent of each other.” [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both films feature male protagonists and one female, each struggling with purpose independent of one another. **In simple terms:** Characters search for personal direction. Key Takeaway Explore individual purpose beyond groups. Themes identity purpose gender dynamics Mood analytical reflective Type critical cinematic When to use this quote - career counseling - creative workshops Key Concepts existentialism character study Questions to Reflect On - How do personal goals intersect with relationships? - Can solitary journeys lead to collective change? A Different Perspective Focus on individuals may ignore relational growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-realized-2885302/) [Confidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidential/) [Contemporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary/) [Departure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/departure/) [Emotionally Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionally-involved-784565/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Male Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-characters/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) [Realized Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-movies-2885303/) [Shooting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shooting/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [Wonder Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder-boys-930658/) ## Related quotes > [I very much had wanted to do a picture with more humor than what I had been allowed to do earlier, which is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-very-much-had-wanted-to-do-a-picture-with-more-humor-than-what-i/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [That's what I love about Michael Douglas' performance in Wonder Boys, because I feel like he surprises audiences that know him from very different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/that-s-what-i-love-about-michael-douglas-performance-in-wonder-boys/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ Here \[in Wonder Boys\] I had this group of characters where you didn't know which were the important ones or what direction they were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/here-in-wonder-boys-i-had-this-group-of-characters-where-you-didn-t/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I thought, "If I could bring these characters \[Wonder Boys\] to life and lead the audience to react the same way I did, this… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-thought-if-i-could-bring-these-characters-wonder-boys-to-life-and/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [So it's discouraging and, yet, when you make a movie like Wonder Boys, in a sense it's its own reward, because it does move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/so-it-s-discouraging-and-yet-when-you-make-a-movie-like-wonder-boys/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I read the script for Wonder Boys, and I said that was almost perfect, it was so classy, cool and funny. It's a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-jr/i-read-the-script-for-wonder-boys-and-i-said-that-was-almost-perfect/) [Robert Downey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-jr/) > [In terms of talking with my collaborators as they came onboard - Jeannine Oppewall, our production designer, Dante Spinotti, our cinematographer, and so forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/in-terms-of-talking-with-my-collaborators-as-they-came-onboard/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [In L.A. Confidential, it was great to surprise the audience with Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe - two Australian actors that they didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/in-l-a-confidential-it-was-great-to-surprise-the-audience-with-guy/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Even though L.A Confidential box-office was a fraction of, say, Titanic or the Grinch movie, it finds its audience and will continue doing so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/even-though-l-a-confidential-box-office-was-a-fraction-of-say-titanic/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [A day doesn't go by when I don't get a compliment on L.A. Confidential, for example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/a-day-doesn-t-go-by-when-i-don-t-get-a-compliment-on-l-a-confidential/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [The best books come from someplace deep inside… Become emotionally involved. If you don't care about your characters, your readers won't either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/the-best-books-come-from-someplace-deep-inside-become-emotionally/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Getting the player emotionally involved is the holy grail. We try to make players forget they're playing a game. We want them to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/getting-the-player-emotionally-involved-is-the-holy-grail-we-try-to/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [I'm still tremendously proud of 'Crimson Petal.' I'm still very emotionally involved with these characters. I still care about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-faber/i-m-still-tremendously-proud-of-crimson-petal-i-m-still-very/) [Michel Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-faber/) > [I wouldn't mind getting emotionally involved with a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bruno/i-wouldn-t-mind-getting-emotionally-involved-with-a-woman/) [Frank Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bruno/) > [I might be better able to help parents of dying children, but for quite a while I felt less able, too emotionally involved. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-everett-koop/i-might-be-better-able-to-help-parents-of-dying-children-but-for/) [C. Everett Koop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-everett-koop/) ## More by Curtis Hanson > [I very much had wanted to do a picture with more humor than what I had been allowed to do earlier, which is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-very-much-had-wanted-to-do-a-picture-with-more-humor-than-what-i/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [That's what I love about Michael Douglas' performance in Wonder Boys, because I feel like he surprises audiences that know him from very different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/that-s-what-i-love-about-michael-douglas-performance-in-wonder-boys/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I love suspense movies, because in a sense they're the most dreamlike of any genre, and I'm sure I'll make another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-love-suspense-movies-because-in-a-sense-they-re-the-most-dreamlike/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I had a checkered early career, for sure, with a lot of very unhappy experiences where pictures got taken away, re-cut, re-titled... all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-had-a-checkered-early-career-for-sure-with-a-lot-of-very-unhappy/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [My very first professional writing credit was on a movie called The Dunwich Horror, and Roger Corman was the executive producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/my-very-first-professional-writing-credit-was-on-a-movie-called-the/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [There was a long period of time when Sam Fuller had a lot of projects fall through and had a lot of difficulties getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/there-was-a-long-period-of-time-when-sam-fuller-had-a-lot-of-projects/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [What I try to do is give each actor an environment in which they can do their best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/what-i-try-to-do-is-give-each-actor-an-environment-in-which-they-can/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Hollywood, of course, is the city of illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/hollywood-of-course-is-the-city-of-illusion/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I can't speak to how Michael \[Douglas\] approached it in terms of his process. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-can-t-speak-to-how-michael-douglas-approached-it-in-terms-of-his/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Put simply, there are many people who want to make movies and very few opportunities for them to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/put-simply-there-are-many-people-who-want-to-make-movies-and-very-few/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ I had the great fortune to actually become friends with Sam \[Fuller\] and ultimately collaborate with him on White Dog, which we wrote together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-had-the-great-fortune-to-actually-become-friends-with-sam-fuller/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [You can dress it up, but it comes down to the fact that a movie is only as good as its script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/you-can-dress-it-up-but-it-comes-down-to-the-fact-that-a-movie-is/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [A day doesn't go by when I don't get a compliment on L.A. Confidential, for example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/a-day-doesn-t-go-by-when-i-don-t-get-a-compliment-on-l-a-confidential/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [I make that distinction only because I came to it strictly as someone who was just a lover of storytellers and cinematic storytellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/i-make-that-distinction-only-because-i-came-to-it-strictly-as-someone/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [ Roger \[Corman\] didn't actually hire me, though. I was hired by AIP \[American International Pictures\], the studio that made the picture, which was Sam… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/roger-corman-didn-t-actually-hire-me-though-i-was-hired-by-aip/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) [Explore all 73 Curtis Hanson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On the surface, Wonder Boys seemed like such a departure from L.A. Confidential - it's funny, it's contemporary, and so on - and yet at a certain point, I had a feeling that reminded me how I felt when I was shooting L.A. Confidential. I analyzed it for a while, and thought about how emotionally involved I was with the characters. 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