What an unbelievable film. Director Jonathan Levine’s attention to detail in making positive that every aspect of the film looks and feels like the 90’s really adds to the feel of the film. All of the actors work really well especially Sir Ben Kingsley and Josh Peck, who has a breakout performance in this film, showing that he’s got a future in this business. With droll dialogue, nicely shot cinematography, and backed by an unbelievable soundtrack, The Wackness is definitely a film to gaze this summer if you loved the 90’s.
Yo! Don’t be whack!
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The award winning film (Sundance Audience Award) “The Wackness” is now out on DVD and it’s definitely one of the coolest and more favorable coming-of-age films to near out in a long while and a DVD with features that embraces that non-traditional style courtesy of writer/director Josh Levine.
“The Wackness” stars notorious legendary award winning actor Ben Kingsley and “Drake & Josh” actor Josh Peck who appears to have shed his young teen Nickelodeon image for the character of 18-year-old Luke Shapiro. Both playing roles so different from what we have seen of them and both delivering an exceptional performance.
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The year is 1994, A high school teenager in Modern York who doesn’t have any friends but spends his time selling marijuana using his disguise as a person who sells ice in the park, while saving up all his money.
But all is not cold in the life of Luke, his parents are having some financial problems and in exertion of being evicted, his mind is on getting laid and losing his virginity and the only person he can communicate his emotions to is one of his clients, Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley) . He wants some anti-depressants but Squires tells him to embrace his distress and more or less, he needs to derive a girlfriend and win laid.
Dr. Squires is not exactly a role model for Josh. He’s a product of the 60’s, loves doing cocaine and marijuana and somehow, is able to connect with Luke and provides him professional advice for drugs. But like Luke, his life is not at all going that large. His relationship with his wife Kristin is not at all going so large and all they have is their memories of sex and doing drugs. Meanwhile, he notices that his step-daughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby, “Juno”) is getting closer to Luke. But realizes that it’s not treasure that she has for Luke, it’s unbiased a sexual plug.
Luke doesn’t have mighty experience with people, savor and thus he discovers himself while hanging out with Stephanie. Dr. Squires as a father doesn’t want his stepdaughter to be around a drug dealer but at the same time, as his psychiatrist, he doesn’t feel that Stephanie is pleasant for Luke. But after their passionate time together, he develops feelings for Stephanie so strong that when he says the words of “I Appreciate You” to her, Stephanie realizes that this poke has gone so far and ends their romantic slide and all communication with Luke. Around that same time, Dr. Squires wife Kristin decides to leave her husband.
Both men are obviously heartbroken but somehow, they accumulate comfort in talking with each other and thus Luke and Dr. Squires compose a friendship that would interestingly introduce Dr. Squires to Luke’s world and for Luke, getting the needed therapy from his shrink. So, the account handsome considerable focuses on a young man (Luke) who is guided by an older man (Dr. Squires) but then the myth starts to shift of the younger guy guiding an older man.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
The film is featured in anamorphic widescreen ala 2:35:1 ratio. The film is shot in different parts of Tokyo but oviously scenes such as the Twin Towers had to be establish into the film. When you do a period section, especially if it’s 1994, with a busy city like Fresh York, unless you have a spacious budget, you got earn do what with what you have. And thus a lot of the scenes are shot indoors but you do have some outdoor scenes with Luke and Stephanie at the beach or areas where Luke is dealing drugs.
As for audio, you collect a English and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track and the film is primarily a dialogue driven film. But audio-wise, what makes this film shine is the fact that it’s 1994 and the mature school songs, especially the hip-hop songs of that time are what comes blaring out your speakers. Bass and all courtesy of artists such as Noted B.I.G., a Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, Nas, Biz Markie, etc.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The DVD shines in its amount of special features offered. Included are:
* Commentary with Director Jonathan Levine and Actor Josh Peck - A very casual and frosty commentary and you learn valuable tidbits about the film. From Ben Kingsley giving advice to Josh, having to work with Mary-Kate in the amount of hours they had to work with her and how hard it was for Josh Peck to do his lovemaking scene with Olivia Thirlby. Levine and Peck have frigid and fun commentary talking about blunts, the music, it’s typically a commentary that is like hanging out with friends. Especially at the slay when they talk about hanging out after the commentary and playing XBOX 360, you don’t hear that on director’s commentary, so it’s all friendly.
* Keeping it Real: A Day in the Life of Writer/Director Jonathan Levine - For this eight little feature, Jonathan Levine is traveling around the country and London to promote “The Wackness” at film festivals and interviews at radio stations. Jonathan is joined by the cast and his girlfriend, production designer Annie Spitz and his brother and his girlfriend.
* Time in a Bottle: Late the Scenes of The Wackness - An 18-minute featurette featuring behind-the-scenes on the making of the film. Levine explains that the film is not 100% autobiographical and a screenplay that was based on an understanding he had during filmschool. Also, featuring Levine’s staff and how they were able to secure that 1994 setting.
* The Luke Shapiro Present Episode 1 & 2 - These are five exiguous short episodes that were created for cable access featuring Luke Shapiro and his doorman Miguel. The first featuring Luke, Miguel (on keyboards) and his dapper Tony. The second featuring Luke, Miguel (on keyboards) and a dancer.
* Deleted Scenes - This scene features four deleted/extended scenes from the film. The total amount of deleted scenes is about five minutes long featuring “Luke Works in Cap and Gown”, “Extended Squires Vacation”, “Squires in Stephanie’s Room” and “Dad’s Walkman Draw”.
* The Wackness Trailers - Featuring all five theatrical and teaser trailers
I have to say that “The Wackness” is a fine frigid coming-of-age film and yes, there have been many of these type of movies but a definitely, modern film. Having the film place in 1994, having the main character as a drug dealer, having his psychiatrist as one of his clients and also a hardcore drug user and fair how everything impartial comes together is quite luscious.
But the performances by Ben Kingsley and Josh Peck was well done. Two roles by talents that I would never observe coming. Ben Kingsley in so many serious roles in “Ghandi”, “Schindler’s List”, “Rules of Engagement” to name a few and then Josh Peck who stars in the Nickelodeon teen point to “Drake & Josh”, these two taking on roles so different and to witness them drinking alcohol and doing/dealing drugs, definitely it’s quite a bit of a surprise. But the original thing is that these two talents had mammoth chemistry and everything worked out quite well.
And there are also a expedient number of talent in this film. Olivia Thirlby did a gigantic job as Squire’s daughter Stephanie and Luke’s admire interest. Did a mammoth job playing a sexual teen and then you have Mary-Kate Olsen as a pothead who unprejudiced makes out with Ben Kingsley. Famke Janssen as Dr. Squires sexy wife, Blueprint Man playing the character “Percy” as Luke’s supplier and powerful more.
There are honest these exiguous moments in the film, from mannerisms to the slight things that a character does, it really makes this film seem quite realistic and earn it all work. Of course, the early 90’s nostalgia and the music plays a great fraction in the film. When Luke and Olivia are making adore, R. Kelly playing on the suppose box to Luke playing Zelda on his NES, these cramped things are what many people who grew up at the time and listened to the music can related to. So, definitely a nice touch!
And the DVD, impartial makes you savor the film even more with wintry commentary, the featurettes and more. It’s not all business-like and professional. You have Levine and Peck quite casual and as I mentioned in the commentary part, it’s like hanging out with a few friends and unbiased everyone having a agreeable time.
Now granted, perhaps I may be a bit biased having grown up with the pop culture of the 90’s and hearing the songs and the style from those years boosting my appreciation for the film but for an indie film, I have to admit that the overall presentation was quite non-traditional. Again, there are a bunch of “coming-of-age” films out there but this one was really thinking outside of the box and instead of getting a “revenge of the nerd” happy-feel safe storyline, each of these characters have flaws but it’s all about discovering one’s self.
All in all, a solid DVD with a lot of humor, a lot of soul and all out fun!
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