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Written and Directed by Starring Presented by 95 minutes |
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THE
WACKNESS Review
Personally, the summer of 1994 was one of triumph and tragedy. It was a joyous time (the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup) that led to a personal loss in the family that to this day is still mourned. This time is profiled in THE WACKNESS, Jonathan Levine’s sophomore film (after the slasher ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE) and an engaging look at the unusual relationship between a teen drug dealer with a love for hip hop (Josh Peck) and his psychiatrist and drug abusing client Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Sir Ben Kingsley with a mullet hairpiece) who both have one endeavor in common: they both want to get laid. Luke Shapiro (Peck) has just graduated from high school. He spends his time dealing pot to his fellow students and those above him, including Squires, who he pays with hash. Squires is a man in the midst of a crisis. He’s recently married to a fashion designer (Famke Janssen) whose daughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby) has attracted the attention of Luke, who sells to her as well. An admission from Squires has Luke contemplating a summer of fun before going off to college, and sets his sights on the out of his league Stephanie, who surprisingly accepts his affections. While this relationship grows, Squires grows leery of Luke’s intentions while simultaneously enjoying time with him, making him feel younger. The enjoyment of THE WACKNESS is that it’s a film about a pot dealer, but isn’t a stoner comedy, instead focusing on Luke’s coming of age while Squires comes to grips with his imperfect life. It is Kingsley’s performance that highlights THE WACKNESS, as he delivers flawlessly a perfect example of middle aged crisis and recovering a lost youth. Peck is fine in the main role as Luke, far from his days in DRAKE & JOSH, especially in his scenes with Stephanie, who is also well played by Thirlby (in a better performance than the grossly overrated JUNO). Famke Janssen is wasted a little as Squires’ trophy wife but Mary Kate Olsen is a surprise as the free spirited Union, one of Luke’s clients. She’s only in two scenes but has good chemistry with Kingsley in one of them, showing that she can hold her own as an adult. Jane Adams is splendid in another brief role as another one of Luke’s clients who is a washed up 80s music star. The film is laden with hip hop music, primarily Notorious B.I.G’s READY TO DIE album (which was released in 1994), to which I admit I’m not a fan of, but it fits strongly within the film as a character itself, and it’s not annoying when played. It’s Luke’s love and it is presented very well. To hear Squires listen to this music and take it seriously was both funny and poignant, but it shows a willingness to accept the changing times. Writer/director Jonathan Levine does a great job of capturing New York City at a time when hip hop was rising as the most popular form of music and Kurt Cobain had just died. It was the start of Guiliani’s first term as Mayor, and a time when New York was just beginning to change with Guiliani’s tough rules of enforcement with mixed results. If you are expecting a stoner comedy amongst the likes of HAROLD & KUMAR (which seems to hit a lot of false notes for me), you will be disappointed, as this is mainly a coming of age comedy/drama for both a 17 year old drug dealer looking for love and a 60 year old psychiatrist trying to find sense in his life. It is their friendship that defines THE WACKNESS and makes it a comedy far above the rest. It never, ever strives to go to the lowest common denominator for laughs, and there are quite a few laughs here, but it also gets serious when it needs to be. The relationship between Luke and Stephanie is amongst the most honest and truthful teen relationships portrayed on film in quite a while. In all, THE WACKNESS is a fine comedy to see and highly recommended. It’s a nice alternative for those looking for an intelligent story with humor and presents a fine, nostalgic look at a time where New York was changing, and graduating high school meant scary changes for the future. It does get bonus points for its setting on a time where I graduated from high school as well, and THE WACKNESS made me remember those days and like Squires, wish I did some things differently. THE WACKNESS: 8 Out Of 10 Maggots CLICK HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR JONATHAN LEVINE! CLICK HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH STAR JOSH PECK! CLICK HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH STAR OLIVIA THIRLBY! CLICK HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH STAR METHOD MAN!
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