Being born in 1989, there’s seldom a time when I get to see a movie that is nostalgic for a time that I actually remember. Luckily for me, The Wackness is just that kind of movie. A film that yearns for the times when The Notorious B.I.G. was an up-and-comer, and not a dead rap martyr, and the place where you had to blow the dust out of your video game cartridge just to get it to function. A time when you can sell and buy weed around New York City without being bothered by Rudy Guliani’s clean-machine–well, maybe it wasn’t perfect, but The Wackness does a perfect job of recreating this not-so-faraway time.
The story of Wackness is about the greasy-haired pot dealer Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck). He’s just graduated from high school, and he really doesn’t have any friends. The only classmates that talk to him are the ones interested in purchasing his product. His parents are constantly arguing, and his family is on the verge being evicted from their Manhattan home. He sees his life as one big miscue, and is completely clueless about his future, because he can’t wrap his mind around the present.
His only true friend is his therapist Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Sir Ben Kingsley), who is also one of Luke’s clients. Squires is the most neurotically misguided therapist perhaps in movie history (and that’s saying something); in addition to being a pothead, he depends on Valium and Lithium to get through most of his days, and is convinced he should cheat on his distant wife so he can add spice to their loveless marriage. Perhaps its Squires’ imperfection that makes him so compatible with Luke, and the two become great friends, consoling each other’s weaknesses and insecurities.
Squires’ also has a step-daughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby), who is the apple of Luke’s eye. She is beautiful, she is exotic, and she completely encompasses Luke’s thoughts and fantasies. In Luke’s last summer before adulthood, Luke decides to make his move and finally discover the life he thinks he deserves–one of happiness. Against Squires’ orders, Luke begins seeing Stephanie, and her provocative nature opens Luke’s eyes to what he’s been missing. Not that it solves either his or Squires’ problems, and whether it be because of drugs or heartbreak, they both are hit by big smacks of hard life.
This film was a pretty big time hit at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and I can see why: it smacks of indie pretension. Not that that’s always a bad thing, young filmmaker Jonathan Levine is confident with this picture, not arrogant. He’s obviously heavily influenced by the time he displays in the film, particularly by hip-hop music which pulsates throughout the soundtrack. Even the title shows this, a title which anybody could say is a little out of taste for a deep-seeded character study. Sometimes the film comes on a little strong with the 90’s references, but the point is not to parody, but to create an atmosphere.
The film is led by Nickelodeon’s own Josh Peck. Peck goes a great way to completely distance himself from his “Drake and Josh” reputation, playing a character that is both emotionally scarred and painfully reserved. Peck is surprising, if not fearless with his performance, but you can’t help but feel that he was not quite ready to grip a character of this magnitude. The movie’s Achilles’ heel is the fact that it is pretty difficult to embrace Luke’s plight, and that is the fault of Peck’s inability to make him a living, breathing person. It’s a brave step for the young actor, but I question the role choice.
The spark of this film comes from the seeming rebirth of Sir Ben Kingsley. Seeing him putz around in terrible films such as Bloodrayne and The Love Guru made many of the esteemed actor’s biggest fans scratch their heads. But with The Wackness, Kingsley seems to have gotten his second wind. He plays the insanely flawed Squires with manic energy and hysterical timing. Kingsley easily steals the show, and with his upcoming film Elegy set for release in August, he is probably set up for a career-reviving summer.
The film sprinkles interesting cameos, such as Method Man as Luke’s marijuana provider and Mary-Kate Olson as a constantly-stoned hippie with numerous boyfriends. There’s something particularly fresh about The Wackness, even in moments where the film just doesn’t work. The film meanders in montages showcasing rap music and warped camera angles. At times, the film is frustrating in its seemingly freestyle approach, but with inspired performances from Kingsley and Thirlby, and an earnest turn from Peck, The Wackness, at times, can be delightful.
Directed by Jonathan Levine