Wackness, The – A Movie Review
New York, summer 1994, the greatest year in hip-hop, a troubled teenage drug dealer trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist intent on living his life to the fullest. The two form an unlikely friendship, but things get complicated when the kid falls for the doctor’s daughter.
Genres: Comedy, Drama and Teen; Running Time: 95 min.; Release Date: July 3rd, 2008 (limited); MPAA Rating: R for pervasive drug use, language and some sexuality.
Starring: Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Olivia Thirlby
Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Lay wanted to watch this movie. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I didn’t remember seeing any previews, but I enjoyed the acting by Josh Peck and Ben Kingsley and Olivia Thirlby…each character has so many quirks that their interactions are fascinating. Each person played their character in a decisive way, but they were low key.
The story is typical coming-of-age, but in a time and atmosphere that sets it apart. The music was a perfect accompaniment to the story, and the cinematography was stunning. The colors in this film are sometimes dull and flat, and sometimes brilliant depending on the tone for that part of the story.
All-in-all, it was not a bad story.