THE WACKNESS
US, 208, 99 minutes, Colour.
Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby, Mary Kate Olsen, Jane Adams, Method Man, Talia Balsam, David Wohl, Bob Dishy, Joanna Merlin.
Directed by Jonathan Levine.
We might ask what on earth is ‘the wackness’. Is it the same as ‘wackiness’? In some ways, yes, though the wackness indicates a more down-mood view of life and reality. Life is skewiff.
While that is an interesting premise for a comedy, a rather dark comedy, the characters are not all that interesting as they go about showing us what a wackness perception of life can be.
The central character is Luke Shapiro during the summer of 1994. This was the summer that the director himself graduated as well so there is more than a touch of nostalgia for that period (especially the music, just after the death of Kurt Cobain) as well as the proliferation of drugs in New York City. In fact, the film is a kind of fictional autobiography – the director pointing out now that this kind of drug-taking can be stupid and that he is not approving, just recording the factual atmosphere of 1994.
Josh Peck does well as Luke but does not bring him to interesting life. Perhaps that was an impossible task because Luke has depressed moods, has the wackness view of life – and is frustrated by his father’s loss of the family money so that they will have to be evicted (and, horror, live in New Jersey). Luke sells drugs when he might be studying and he has a large and varied clientele who ring him and then he personally delivers. It is surprising that he has so many customers because he seems to lack all social charm and graces.
The bright part of the film is the performance of Ben Kingsley as an ex-hippy (well not quite yet ex) type who is a therapist and has Luke for sessions (paid in kind by drugs). Luke also supplies Kingsley’s step-daughter (Olivia Thirlby) with whom he strikes up a friendship which he (not she) dreams of as a romance. The girl’s mother (Famke Janssen) has been through drug rehabilitation and her marriage is strained.
Kingsley (with a wig giving him more hair than we have ever seen him with) gives an offbeat amusing performance that really illustrates wackness.
Only for devotees of oddball black comedies.
1.The title, its tone, meanings? The bleak perspective on life?
2.The New York City settings, homes and streets, offices, beaches? The summer of 1994? The musical score – and the atmosphere of popular songs at the time?
3.The structure: the indication of the three months, in Luke’s rites of passage, how far did he progress?
4.Luke, his age, his story? His relationship with his parents? Distant? His life, studies, graduation? His dealing drugs, his range of clients, relationships with him, his ice cream cart and carrying it around? His father and the loss of the money, the eviction from the house?
5.Doctor Squires, Ben Kingsley and his appearance, style, the ex-hippie, on drugs, his wisecracks, the nature of his therapy, skilful or not? The payment in drugs? His wife, the tensions? His relationship with Stephanie? Talking with her, the discussions about drugs?
6.Luke and Stephanie, Doctor Squires’ permission, going out with her, her friendship with Aaron, delivering the drugs? The relationship between them, her charm, his puppy-like response, the sexual encounter, impotence, her teaching him? His declaration of love and her harsh reaction? Accompanying him on his drug deliveries?
7.The range of clients, Elanor, her ringing back, encountering Doctor Squires – and the ending? Percy and the tough gang members? The phones, the visits?
8.Doctor Squires and his wife, together, the weekend away, the lovemaking, the asking for divorce on both sides? Doctor Squires and his behaviour in the phone box? The graffiti, the arrest? Accompanying Luke with his cart? The aftermath of the weekend away, the binge with all the drugs with Luke? His trying to drown himself – and the long sequence – and his surviving?
9.Luke, with Doctor Squires, the prison, the drugs, the attempted drowning? The eviction, wanting to give his drug money to his parents, going to his grandparents? The phone call to Stephanie, his emotional reaction to her? His decision to become a therapist?
10.Stephanie, her going back to Aaron, her fickleness?
11.Luke getting over it, getting over the wackness?
12.The background of Mayor Giuliani, the clean-up of New York?
13.Doctor Squires, his looking across at the Twin Towers – and the implication of the change to come?
