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12.05.2006










THUMBSUCKER




2005, dir. Mike Mills

96 min. Rated R.

Starring: Lou Pucci, Vincent D'Onofrio, Tilda Swinton, Ted Theodore Logan


Review by Noel Wood








I was a little disappointed when I found out that the Mike Mills that directed Thumbsucker was not the same one that plays the bass and sometimes sings for R.E.M. Michael Stipe's all about Independent film, so why not Mills? I guess he's too busy being the most talented member of that band to make indie flicks about teen angst. Maybe David Lowery of Cracker Van Beethoven can make those kind of movies, because, as we all know, what the world needs now is another folk singer like I need a hole in my head.

















Imagine if this guy had the thumbs Uma did in that hitchhiking movie.






So I saw Thumbsucker a few weeks removed from The Squid and The Whale, which it's bound to draw comparisons with, if nothing else, for the presence of a scrawny floppy-haired teenaged lead who calls his parents by their first names. It's not quite as good as Squid, but it's not bad either.



Thumbsucker is about a kid named Justin. He's 17, he's in high school, he crushes on a girl in his debate class, and as you might gather from the film's title, he still sucks his thumb. Daddy disapproves, but it's Justin's only crutch. After being hypnotized by his orthodontist (played by Keanu Reeves, who I'm not buying as someone who finished med school,) Justin replaces this crutch with others. The school puts him on Ritalin, which allows him to focus enough to take the lead of the debate team. He winds up in an odd relationship with Rebecca, who likes to get high and conduct sex experiments on Justin. Eventually Justin gets tired of trying to find his identity when he knows what his real one is, and gives in to his desires.



Any film in this genre can easily paint itself into a corner, but Thumbsucker does its best to avoid that habit. Much like Squid and the Whale and Igby Goes Down, it relies on a good script and well-developed characters. There are a few flaws, such as the gag-inducing (and I don't mean due to a thumb being stuck down a throat) final shot of Justin running in slow motion over a swelling soundtrack to visualize his new found liberation, but for a first feature, it's pretty well-polished.



Casting turned out to be the film's strongest point, with a collection of capable performers often playing against type. Vince Vaughn subtled it down to play Justin's debate coach, while Keanu Reeves played off his strengths as Justin's unorthodox orthodontist. Justin's parents, played by Vincent "Don't call me Gomer" D'Onofrio and Tilda "star of every movie in '05" Swinton, have an interesting chemistry together. And finally, Benjamin Bratt pops up in an effective cameo as an epiphany-inducing junkie actor.



In the flaws department, I have to take a moment to bitch about the soundtrack. The music was provided by Elliot Smith and The Polyphonic Spree, a man who stabbed himself in the heart and a band that makes me want to do the same. Every note of score just screams out "artsy indie!", which I'm sure was the intent when they hired a tragically hip dead guy and a strange hippie cult to do the music. It also seems to be shoved in the front way too often when it doesn't really fit at all, rather than provide a nice backdrop for the actors to do their stuff before.



Still, Thumbsucker comes recommended. It's not the best film of the year, and it's not even the best film of its genre this year. But if you're like me and still get a kick out of the angsty teen coming-of-age movie despite being far removed from the subject matter, then there are worse ways you could spend an hour and a half.
















RELATED LINKS:

Igby Goes Down

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

Garden State

Noel Noel 12/05/2006 04:54:00 PM 116535567166745430 THUMBSUCKER

2005, dir. Mike Mills
96 min. Rated R.
Starring: Lou Pucci, Vincent D'Onofrio, Tilda Swinton, Ted Theodore Logan

Review by Noel Wood

I was a little disappointed when I found out that the Mike Mills that directed Thumbsucker was not the same one that plays the bass and sometimes sings for R.E.M. Michael Stipe's all about Independent film, so why not Mills? I guess he's too busy being the most talented member of that band to make indie flicks about teen angst. Maybe David Lowery of Cracker Van Beethoven can make those kind of movies, because, as we all know, what the world needs now is another folk singer like I need a hole in my head.


Imagine if this guy had the thumbs Uma did in that hitchhiking movie.

So I saw Thumbsucker a few weeks removed from The Squid and The Whale, which it's bound to draw comparisons with, if nothing else, for the presence of a scrawny floppy-haired teenaged lead who calls his parents by their first names. It's not quite as good as Squid, but it's not bad either.

Thumbsucker is about a kid named Justin. He's 17, he's in high school, he crushes on a girl in his debate class, and as you might gather from the film's title, he still sucks his thumb. Daddy disapproves, but it's Justin's only crutch. After being hypnotized by his orthodontist (played by Keanu Reeves, who I'm not buying as someone who finished med school,) Justin replaces this crutch with others. The school puts him on Ritalin, which allows him to focus enough to take the lead of the debate team. He winds up in an odd relationship with Rebecca, who likes to get high and conduct sex experiments on Justin. Eventually Justin gets tired of trying to find his identity when he knows what his real one is, and gives in to his desires.

Any film in this genre can easily paint itself into a corner, but Thumbsucker does its best to avoid that habit. Much like Squid and the Whale and Igby Goes Down, it relies on a good script and well-developed characters. There are a few flaws, such as the gag-inducing (and I don't mean due to a thumb being stuck down a throat) final shot of Justin running in slow motion over a swelling soundtrack to visualize his new found liberation, but for a first feature, it's pretty well-polished.

Casting turned out to be the film's strongest point, with a collection of capable performers often playing against type. Vince Vaughn subtled it down to play Justin's debate coach, while Keanu Reeves played off his strengths as Justin's unorthodox orthodontist. Justin's parents, played by Vincent "Don't call me Gomer" D'Onofrio and Tilda "star of every movie in '05" Swinton, have an interesting chemistry together. And finally, Benjamin Bratt pops up in an effective cameo as an epiphany-inducing junkie actor.

In the flaws department, I have to take a moment to bitch about the soundtrack. The music was provided by Elliot Smith and The Polyphonic Spree, a man who stabbed himself in the heart and a band that makes me want to do the same. Every note of score just screams out "artsy indie!", which I'm sure was the intent when they hired a tragically hip dead guy and a strange hippie cult to do the music. It also seems to be shoved in the front way too often when it doesn't really fit at all, rather than provide a nice backdrop for the actors to do their stuff before.

Still, Thumbsucker comes recommended. It's not the best film of the year, and it's not even the best film of its genre this year. But if you're like me and still get a kick out of the angsty teen coming-of-age movie despite being far removed from the subject matter, then there are worse ways you could spend an hour and a half.



RELATED LINKS:
Igby Goes Down
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
Garden State Noel Noel 12/05/2006 04:51:00 PM 116535557825480320 11.16.2004

joethepeacock (4:22:29 PM): the only thing i wonder, really, is how did the transformers keep their windows from shattering?
fortheretarded (4:24:06 PM): it's a space-age polymer that only LOOKS like glass
fortheretarded (4:24:11 PM): or something
joethepeacock (4:25:02 PM): mm hmm
joethepeacock (4:25:11 PM): the REAL geek answer would have been "transparent aluminum"
fortheretarded (4:25:32 PM): i thought of that
fortheretarded (4:25:39 PM): cause they use that in nascar and stuff
joethepeacock (4:27:02 PM): oh shut up
joethepeacock (4:28:52 PM): just admit that you know a line from a star trek movie
fortheretarded (4:29:00 PM): no
fortheretarded (4:29:04 PM): i don't
fortheretarded (4:29:19 PM): i've never seen a single star trek movie
joethepeacock (4:29:23 PM): shaddup
fortheretarded (4:29:34 PM): swear to spock

Noel Noel 11/16/2004 04:41:00 PM 110064131918541350 8.21.2003 Cannot find server Noel Noel 8/21/2003 06:19:00 PM 106150434600565211 2.26.2003 Three to get ready

for the retarded (2:12:05 PM): petty tendergrass
btterpants (2:22:53 PM): i told yall!

Noel Noel 2/26/2003 02:50:00 PM 89790416 Two For the Show

btterpants (12:13:42 AM): teddy pendergrass
Auto Response from for the retarded (12:13:44 AM): Is it hot in here, or am I sweatin?
btterpants (12:13:58 AM): teddy pendergrass

Noel Noel 2/26/2003 02:38:00 PM 89789784 2.24.2003 One For the Money

btterpants (8:10:44 PM): teddy pendergrass
for the retarded (8:10:54 PM):...

Noel Noel 2/24/2003 10:18:00 AM 89646204 2.21.2003 Mr. T, 1983: "Jesus wore gold, he was offered gold in respect. So if gold is good enough for Jesus then gold is good enough for me."

Mr. T, 1999: "I don't wear gold no more. The gold is in my heart. The gold couldn't save me."

Noel Noel 2/21/2003 12:04:00 PM 89505187 2.20.2003

"Good Morning Mr. Breakfast!"

"Good Morning Pee-Wee!"

"Would you like some Mr. T Cereal!"

"I Pity the Fool who don't eat my cereal!"

Noel Noel 2/20/2003 10:13:00 AM 89435592 2.18.2003 Listen up, Suckas! You want to know what up with the T? The T made a video back in the day called BE SOMEBODY...OR BE SOMEBODY'S FOOL. And They gone and done a full-on review of it over on MCFTR. So go there now, suckas! I pity the fool who don't read my article!

Noel Noel 2/18/2003 11:06:00 AM 89311925 2.14.2003 And I need all the love that I can't get to


You're a Deathrocker/Goth-Punk! You're into old
school gloom-n-doom ghoul punk music, ripped up
tight clothing, and big hair cut into unnatural
designs. You recognize the cheesiness in Goth,
and play with it to your benefit.


What kind of Goth would you be?
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Noel Noel 2/14/2003 11:33:00 AM 89098027 2.13.2003 There's a crack in the mirror and a bloodstain on my bed

Sexy-like Vampire
Sexy-like Vampire


What type of vampire are you?
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Noel Noel 2/13/2003 11:35:00 AM 89039027 On candystripe legs the spiderman comes

This morning while waking up far too early from my slumberI heard a very loud buzzing noise from my windowsill and pulled apart the blinds to investigate the din. And to my suprise, there was a fly struggling within a beautiful cobweb. I sprang from my crypt to look closer and watched as a beautiful brown spider descended upon the hapless housefly and began to enshroud it in a silken sarcophagous. My kitten and I sat and were mesmerized watching the entire process to the point that I was nearly late for work this morning.

Current Music: Wumpscut, "Ain't In Mad, Yet".

Noel Noel 2/13/2003 10:26:00 AM 89035518 2.12.2003 The Bats Have Left the Belltower

I know it's not very tragic of me to say this, but I am totally into this Chef Boyardee Pepperoni Pizzazroli. Even though it's totally not on my diet.

Current Music: Wolfsheim, "Once in a Lifetime".

Noel Noel 2/12/2003 10:11:00 AM 88975144 2.11.2003 Thanks, PETE, for the more appropriate title.
Noel Noel 2/11/2003 05:41:00 PM 88936385 One time my friend had an entire dinner table convinced that he worked as a pork broker. He went in to tons of detail about his imaginary job and the benefits that he reaped from the experience. When the truth was revealed that he made it all up, there was at least one person who legitimately offended by his chicanery.

Ah, I miss those days.

Noel Noel 2/11/2003 10:33:00 AM 88915240 2.10.2003 Daily outrage: The price of my daily breakfast consisting of bacon and eggs went up from 1.88 to 2.43. Breaking that third dollar is going to put me in the poor house stat. Oh, and speaking of pork, the worst voice to wake up to in the morning is WSB sports jockey Tony Schiavone.

Noel Noel 2/10/2003 12:14:00 PM 88858687 2.07.2003

Does anyone here read Kanji? I want to know just exactly how to order if I ever go into a Japanese butcher shop.

Noel Noel 2/07/2003 06:03:00 PM 88729599