Product Description
A teenage boy with an addiction to thumbsucking throws his family and those around him into chaos when he attempts to break his habit.Amazon.com
A sterling cast--including Vince Vaughn, Keanu Reeves, Vincent D'Onofrio, and especially Tilda Swinton--lifts this coming-of-age story above the norm. Justin (Lou Pucci, Personal Velocity) is 17, yet he still sucks his thumb. Depressed, he frets that his parents (D'Onofrio, Full Metal Jacket, and Swinton, Orlando) are going to split up, that he has no focus in life, and that the girl he longs for can never love him--until his orthodontist (Reeves, The Matrix) hypnotizes Justin into quitting his thumbsucking, and a questionable diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder results in medication that launches him into a wave of over-achievement. The script, though it has some clever flourishes, never lifts beyond typical adolescent turmoil, but thanks to wonderfully vivid and multi-layered performances (including Vaughn, Wedding Crashers, as a debate teacher with hair issues), the movie never flags. Swinton also executive-produced the movie; she clearly saw in this suburban mother a character she could invest with as much emotion and intensity as the angel Gabriel (Constantine) or the White Witch of Narnia (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). It's rich, intricate acting, never showy, yet mesmerizing. Thumbsucker also features Benjamin Bratt (Pinero) and Kelli Garner (Man of the House). --Bret FetzerAlso Recommended...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful:
Best movie I've seen in years!It's the best movie I've seen in years and one of the rare few that I'd like to see again and to buy the dvd! The story is engaging, the acting top notch, the issues universal and thought provoking...It's also uplifting and a great movie for anyone who may feel like a "square peg" or just different and lacks confidence due to being "different". Has an amazing stellar cast as well with Tilda Swinton, Keanu Reeves, Vince D'Onofrio, his buddy Vince Vaughn and Benjamin Bratt and of course the leads Lou Taylor Pucci and his lady love interest. This is not a teen movie unless you think of Edward Sccisor hands as a teen movie! (This movie is pignant but still upbeat and funny) Made me think about Kurt Cobain who also was put on Ritalin as a kid...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful:
a coming of age story with comedy and dramaWhen the action starts, we meet young Justin Cobb (Lou Taylor Pucci), a seventeen year old high school student with mediocre grades and a lack of interest in doing much schoolwork. Justin has his eyes on a young girl who is heavily into the environmental movement in their debate club; but he's shy and understandably clumsy about bringing up the topic of intimacy with her.
However, Justin has something else on his plate: curiously enough, at the age of seventeen he still sucks his thumb--not in public; but even the private habit angers his father Mike (Vincent D'Onofrio) and puzzles his well meaning mother Audrey (Tilda Swinton). When Justin's nutty dentist (Keanu Reeves) suggests hypnosis to rid Justin of his thumb sucking problem; it works--but then poor Justin has to find a way to get through life with yet another crutch. And wow, how this new crutch becomes an issue!
I came away from this movie wanting to yell "bravo" while standing up in my theater seat! The story is told with such tenderness that it truly touched me; and it goes to great lengths to show just how hard it can be to be an adolescent. Some people will say, of course, that Justin's behavior isn't always too endearing; and they certainly have a point. However, teenagers are at a tough age; many of us behaved like Justin behaves at one time or another when we were teenagers. If I was disappointed with the lack of development of anyone's character, it might be Justin's father Mike who always feels sorry for himself about a knew injury that kept him from playing pro football many years prior--if he were to make it to that level, of course. Look also for an outstanding performance by Tilda Swinton as Justin's mother Audrey; and Keanu Reeves provides some comic relief as the flaky dentist who wants to help Justin grow spiritually. In addition, Kelli Garner plays Rebecca wonderfully and Vince Vaughn plays Mr. Geary, the debate club teacher.
The DVD comes with a few extras. There is a "behind the scenes" featurette and there is an optional audio commentary with writer/director Mike Mills. There is also a conversation with director Mike Mills and novelist Walter Kirn.
Thumbsucker is a terrific, quirky comedy that still manages to tackle a number of issues at once and this impresses me. I recommend this for people who like coming of age stories; and of course fans of the actors in this film will want this for their collections.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful:
Next teen movieFunny and easy watching stuff.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful:
Middling...0 out of 0 people found this review helpful:
Excellent Condition!Listmania!
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