THUMBSUCKER
US, 2005, 96 minutes, Colour.
Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D' Onofrio, Keanu Reeves, Benjamin Bratt, Kelli Garner.
Directed by Mike Mills.
In recent years, there have been many films about angst-ridden teenagers, like The United States of Leland and Imaginary Heroes, with their portraits of dysfunctional families. It is a surprise then to find that a film named after a symptom of angst and delayed adolescence is so agreeable and, finally, hopeful with a touch of exuberance.
That’s not to say that the Cobb family is not dysfunctional. They have huge communication problems, especially Dad (who prefers to be called Mike so as not to seem old), a successful businessman who still pines about his high school injury that cost him his professional football career. Vincent D’ Onofrio gives one of his best performances as the bewildered Mike. Tilda Swinton is very good as Audrey who, it turns out, is a completely loving and kind mother who helps her children and finds fulfilment in working at a celebrity addiction centre where she aids one of her favourite TV stars (Benjamin Bratt). This makes the thumbsucker, Justin, very suspicious. Surprise supporting roles are taken by Keanu Reeves as a New Age orthodontist and an excellent Vince Vaughn as the debating team teacher.
Justin is played by Lou Taylor Pucci who has to act reserved, sometimes ‘weird’, and infatuated with one of his classmates, Rebecca. When the school authorities decide he suffers from Attention Deficit Syndrome, his medication makes him almost change personalities. Pucci is just as convincing as the hyped Justin who excels in class but particularly in the debating team. The film has some critical observations on the too quick prescribing of medication to solve adolescent problems – and the danger of their being only a few steps away from addiction. Just when you think the plot is going to come crashing down in guilt and anxiety, it brightens up, has an amusing dream when Justin is on his way by plane to New York University, a kind of summing up of himself and all the people in his life. It concludes with an exhilarating run.
Thumbsucker is a very pleasant surprise. Lou Taylor Pucci won the best actor award at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival.
1. Small-budget independent film? Acclaim, awards?
2. The Oregon settings, authentic, the particularities of Oregon as a state and its environment? The credits and the focus on the town? The universal application of story and characters?
3. The musical score and the range of songs?
4. A film of teenage angst yet one of optimism?
5. The portrait of the family, an ordinary family, nuclear family? Communication and lack of communication? Love and members not being aware of others’ love for them? Anxiety? Possibilities, gifts and talents? Suspicions, underlying wariness – yet a basic goodness and love?
6. The portrait of Justin, his age, appearance, the thumbsucking and its background? The interpretation? Mike and his writing his initials on his son’s thumb? Touching his thumb to test whether it had been sucked? Justin not being able to communicate with his father, his father not communicating, wanting him to call him by his Christian name so that he wouldn't seem old? Aud, her love for her son, care, support? His clashes with his younger brother, Joel? At school, the teachers, Mr Geary and his support? The debating team, the focus on Rebecca? Perry and the orthodontic work, trying to rid him of his thumbsucking, the use of hypnosis and New Age style advice? The manifestations of his anxiety, change around him, not wanting his mother to work, suspicious of her interest in the television star? His inability to communicate with Rebecca, her making demands? She changing and going with the drug students? He and his clash with Mr Geary, the anti-fox signs spoiling the bike race? The interviews, the teachers discussing his need for medication?
7. The transformation, on a high, his skills in debating, articulating ideas, in class, his place on the team, the debates, winning trophies? His mother going to the debates, his absent father? Mr Geary and his support, warnings? The hotel and his wanting to go with his age group, the drinking, persuading Mr Geary to bring the beer, the noise and the complaints? The clash with his opponent, the discussion about his drugs being just above cocaine? The humiliation and his loss, wanting to withdraw from the team?
8. His stopping the drugs, throwing them out, his dream about the garbage containers? Going to Rebecca, talking with her, the pot-smoking? Talking with the other girls? Her blindfolding him, her sexual experimentation, his feeling in love, his disillusionment when she explained how she didn't love him and it was only for her own benefit? Discussions with Joel about Rebecca? His applying to go to New York University? The talks with Mr Geary, seeing Perry again – in the post office, Perry’s change? His suspicions about his mother, about the TV star? The attempts to talk with his father – especially to understand what it was like when his father’s knee was injured and he had to pull out of professional football, when he married Aud?
9. His going to the institution, the window, being caught by Matt, the talk, Matt explaining how his mother was helpful with the drugs, his health? The weight off his mind? Confidence in his mother, confidence in his father? Talking with Joel – and Joel’s explanation of how weird he was and what a burden this was for Joel himself to be normal? His becoming normal again, winning the entry into the university, going to visit Perry?
10. Aud, her love for her husband, love for her sons? The household? Supporting her son, going to the debates, delighted in his victories? Her wanting the job, the application – but her interest in the TV series and the star, wanting to enter the competition? Her enjoyment of her work, wanting Justin to share it? Her work with Matt, Justin and his losing his suspicions? Her support of him and leaving for New York?
11. Mike, his disappointment in his lack of football career, marrying Aud, his work at the store? Unable to speak to his son, not understanding him, angry about the thumbsucking? The attempts to speak and his failure, not going to the debates? Justin’s change? His joy at his son getting into New York University?
12. Joel, age, his being normal, the martial arts, his way of talking, going on the protest at the bike ride? His frank explanation to Justin of how weird he was?
13. Rebecca, her talent at debating, her friendship with Justin, walking, her wanting him to explain the thumbsucking and his inability to do so, her breaking off with him? Her going with the drug students? Meeting again, the pot-smoking, the sexual experimentation, her disillusioning Justin?
14. Mr Geary, in the classroom, the debates? His support of Justin, the teams, the philosophy of winning? Talks with Justin, recommending the medication? His worry about his hair? His being disappointed in Justin?
15. Perry, the orthodontist work, his philosophy of life, hypnotism, the hippie philosophy, the change of heart, his final explanations – “I think”?
16. The principal, discipline, the advocating of medicating, the diagnosis of attention deficit? The comments about teachers being too ready to prescribe this kind of medication and get false performance from their students?
17. The end, the photo at the airport, farewell, on the plane, the girl in the seat next, his dream – announcing the news, the reaction of all the members of the cast, each in their own way? His running in New York?
18. Problems of adolescence, change? Parents – allowing their children to be themselves or not? Human nature, hope – an optimistic outlook on overcoming teenage problems?
