Review of The Wackness (2008) by Nick R — 10 Feb 2009

Coming-of-age stories are mostly hit-or-miss; either you relate to them, either you don't. I can't say The Wackness is a film that reaches out specifically for me and my friends, considering I was still learning to read & write back in 1994, but I have to say I strongly admire Levine's approach to the teenage years almost as much as his beloved All the boys love Mandy Lane.

And yet, there is a distinct lack of 'something', the same 'something' that made me cheer out loud once Mandy Lane's credits started rolling. To put it plainly, I think it has to be about expectations : his last film was set up as a straight-up slasher and grew into something relevant and fresh, whereas The Wackness reaches out much higher and ends up more conventional, despite all of its personal melancholy. Speaking of which, the raw, foggy, almost surreal mood (also present in Mandy Lane) is used to full effect here, completely penetrating Levine's characters and digging out their state of mind with much, much flair.

But as evocative and precise as the directing appears, on the screenplay level, it's somewhat less competent. Luke's summer, cleverly separated into three acts (June, July & August), is rendered with hesitation-- the dramatic tension dillydallies, and so does our interest in what's happening. Frankly, it's quite uneven; as both Luke and Dr. Squires go through their own personal drama, the film never focuses with the right grip on their issues. When we want substance, we get silly (yet fun) dreamy escapism, and when we're ready for some irrationnality, it's back to the heavy, gritty urban drama.

Yet, most of these flaws can be overcomed, thankfully. Levine's stage direction is very good, and so are the performers. Peck gives Luke a perfect stoned drawl but also finds the innocence and naïve thinking to make him a vulnerable and identifiable character. And Kingsley is at his quirky best as a man so starved for more life that it's actually making him go a little loopy. As for Thirlby, she often comes close to owning the film with her eye-popping sex bomb number, as she seems to perfectly understand her character's nature : bored, not ready to commit, but always, always craving for more. Janssen imposes a physicality that serves her character pretty well, and later confirms Kristen's importance in the story, despite it being underwritten, and Mary Kate Olsen can seriously look like she's on drugs (no comment here...).

Either way, it's a small-scale triumph. When it works, it works, and when it doesn't, it's pretty clear what Levine wanted to achieve.

I'm sure we're going to see something that's even more successful from him, and soon-ish.