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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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The Wackness Stars: Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Olivia Thirlby, Famke Janssen, Aaron Yoo, Mary-Kate Olsen, Jane Adams, Method Man, Talia Balsam and David Wohl Director/Scriptwriter Jonathan Levine Occupant Films/Sony Classics Rating: R for language, scenes of drug use and sexuality Running Length: 101 minutes www.Sony.com The Wackness is an apt title for a movie about alcohol and drug use in the 1990’s. No cel phones here, but there are pagers and references to “Forrest Gump.” Despite the nostalgia, Jonathan Levine’s tale of first love, first sex and lots of pot plods along with a haze like a Saturday night frat party. Josh Peck (Luke) has the lead as a young man who sells marijuana to his psychiatrist, Ben Kingsley (Dr. Squires). In fact, Sir Ben is the bright spot here as his facial expressions from patient to patient are an eye-opener. Olivia Thirlby (Stephanie) is Ben’s step-daughter and the one who catches Luke’s eye, while her mother (Famke Janssen) is losing her attraction for Sir Ben. The film shows the therapy sessions between the doctor and Luke, but we don’t know why. Luke is shy with girls, but quite the businessman when it comes to selling marijuana from an ice cream cart. Who would suspect, eh? Method Man, in a show of force, is Luke’s supplier. Enter Stephanie with a quiet confidence that catches Luke’s eye. He misinterprets her interest in him as love, while she is playing first-time teacher in the love-making department with him. You can see crash and burn just ahead. In the background are the druggies that Luke meets, including Elanor (Jane Adams) and Mary-Kate Olsen in an eye-opening film role. I didn't say good, just eye-opening. I have to give The Wackness originality for photography and music. It takes you back almost 20 years with the Beatles-type faded photography and plenty of references to Rudy Giuliani. There are snippets of Luke’s parents lives that you wish were brought to the forefront (his Dad’s business deals, for one), plus the beginning of the drug supplier/doctor relationship between Luke and the doctor. Meaty parts of the film, such as self-destructive behavior, are in sharp contrast to the dream-like sequences and there is little-tie-in. “The Wackness” ends up being just that, wacky. Copyright 2008 Marie Asner
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