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The Wackness

The Wackness (2008)

July. 03,2008
|
6.9
|
R
| Drama

Set in New York City in the sweltering summer, The Wackness tells the story of a troubled teenage drug dealer, who trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist. Things get more complicated when he falls for one of his classmates, who just happens to be the doctor's daughter. This is a coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, music and what it takes to be a man.

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Reviews

Wordiezett
2008/07/03

So much average

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SnoReptilePlenty
2008/07/04

Memorable, crazy movie

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Hayden Kane
2008/07/05

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

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Tayyab Torres
2008/07/06

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

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goraspirit
2008/07/07

I can only say that this is a must-watch movie.I'm not the guy who likes romantic movies, but mixture of drama, comedy and romance here is just brilliant, it makes you feel those crush feelings from when you were a teenager again. Characters are so simple, yet very interesting, Josh Peck/Ben Kingsley/Olivia Thirlby trio really did magnificent job. I liked the soundtrack.Advice: It's an easy dinner, make yourself a good and quiet atmosphere when you are watching it.

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SnoopyStyle
2008/07/08

It's the summer of '94 in Giuliani's New York City. Friendless Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck) deals drugs from his ices cart, and his parents are constantly fighting. He trades pot for therapy from psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley). Luke falls for Jeffrey's stepdaughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby). She treats him like a friend at first, but he wants so much more.I wasn't sold on Josh Peck's performance at first, but it kind of grew on me. He's aimless, tired, and cynical. Ben Kingsley's character isn't much better. He spends his days smoking weed, and he rather do some groping on Mary-Kate Olsen. Olivia Thirlby plays the closest thing to a full grown adult in this movie or is she the most damaged? Director/writer Jonathan Levine brings these characters to life even though there isn't much life in these characters. It has a certain low energy charm to it all.

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tieman64
2008/07/09

Jonathan Levine's "The Wackness" stars Josh Peck as Luke, a Manhattan teen growing up in a mid 1990s New York. Levine's tone is one of nostalgic romanticism, with its washed out visual palette, sun-flares, slow-mo sequences and lyrical camera-work. Trinkents of 1994 are littered about (mix tapes, hip-hop tracks, 90s fashion, cumbersome street vending cars, Biggie, Method Man, VHS, our hero who blows air into the bottom of his Nintendo cartridge), such that the film at times feels like, say, a filmed version of the Smashing Pumkin's 1979; an ode to adolescence lost. This is a pre-Giuliani New York, before mayoral muscle cleaned up the streets and gentrified the colourful city.The plot? Luke's a troubled teen who sells drugs from his vending cart. One of his clients is Jeff Squires (Ben Kingsley), a psychologist to whom he sells weed in exchange for therapy sessions. Both characters turn to drugs, sex and booze as a means of escaping what Luke calls "The Wackness", the tribulations of their daily lives. Both eventually, however, opt to live lives which joyfully take in the good with the bad, a clean up effort which is mirrored to Giuliani's purging of New York City and Times Square. Much of the film revolves around Luke's budding romance with Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby), Squires' stepdaughter. He's rejected by her, but learns to embrace this wackness rather than nosediving further into a placating haze of marijuana. Many of Squire's speeches equate sex with drug addiction, and the film even goes so far as to equate the wackness – bad stuff which happens – with a failure to "score", be it sexually or a stash of drugs. If all humans are creatures of addiction, Luke muses, governed by biochemical rushes, then maybe the wackness is a good thing. Nobody wants to be high all the time.While its tone is handled better (or more interestingly) than is typical of this genre – nice near-sepia cinematography, 90s street slang, another weird performance by Kingsley, a coming of age plot which juggles well sap and heart – it's actor Josh Peck who makes the film work. Peck's a troubled child actor who's himself battling obesity and drug addiction problems. With his forlorn eyes, mouth breathing, odd facial mannerisms, unconventional style of line-reading, mix of vulnerability, depression and his sexily wounded puppy-dog look, the film wouldn't work at all without him.8.5/10 – Worth one viewing.

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thomastownend
2008/07/10

This film is very underrated and is a personal favourite of mine. This Movie perfectly portrays the 90s with a cool soundtrack and nostalgic dialogue. The film has a plethora of characters each unique and quirky in their own way. Josh peck delivers a great performance as an awkward drug dealing teen completely shrugging of his drake and Josh persona and showing us how talented he is with his pure likability and emotional anger, this is even better than his performance in the underrated "Mean Creek". What's even better is the chemistry he has with Ben Kingsley who delivers one of his best performances to date as a older man trying to live young and wild again, both characters are flawed and emotionally engaging.I also liked the anti-romance between Peck and Kingsely's daughter it was real and original. This film is both funny, touching and entertaining, its subtly dark and occasionally uplifting. Its a fresh take on the coming of age tale and deals with Growing up no matter how old you are. WATCH IT

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