Chichester Cinema at New Park
The Wackness
CHICHESTER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The young stars of ‘The Wackness’, Olivia Thirlby, Josh Peck and Mary-Kate Olsen, were all born in 1986. For them and their fanbase (Peck and Olsen are erstwhile child stars who have been famous for much of their short lives), the stylistic trappings of this film – “daisy age” hip hop, graffiti fonts, baggy striped t-shirts, floral sundresses worn over t-shirts – come from an exotic past. Writer/director Jonathan Levine, meanwhile, graduated high school in 1994, the year in which the film is set, and describes it as “semi-autobiographical”. His contemporaries are grown-up cultural players now – so expect ‘The Wackness’ to be just the start of the nostalgic 1990s theme party.
Peck plays Luke, an introspective, sweet kid whose sole claim on the respect of his peers is his weed-dealing business. One unlikely customer is his shrink, Squires (a brilliant, manic Sir Ben Kingsley), who accepts herb in lieu of his fee. Over one troubled summer, Squires succumbs to a full-scale – and hilarious – mid-life crisis, while Luke falls hard for Squires’ beautiful stepdaughter Stephanie (Thirlby). Levine’s film captures the joys and agonies of growing up (at any age) with infectious warmth, wit and passion.
Sir Ben Kingsley almost steals the show as a rollicking, pot-head psychiatrist & randy old goat who anesthetizes the fear that life has passed him by. Josh Peck as Luke is a wonderful touchstone, exuding both decency & daring whiles Olivia Thirby is entrancing as a teenage temptress, delicately revealing her wild-child’s emotional wounds. Given a standing ovation at a packed Sundance premiere, fans of Donnie Darko will love this.
(Tickets £7)
USA · 2007 · Jonathan Levine · 110min
