Review of The Wackness (2008) by Alex D — 13 Mar 2009
This is one of those shambolic American indie debuts that has its head stuck in the clouds. Its only currency is pointless, insight-free nostalgia and quirky behaviour. Plot devices and character traits that qualify as fundamentally idiotic are too numerous to mention.
Ben Kingsley's performance is reasonably enjoyable, but the lead profoundly misunderstands the character that he's playing, and the director is too busy getting shots of Forrest Gump posters or people playing on Game Boys to notice.
It isn't wise or deft about anything, and it only comes to life when it draws attention to itself and is at its most pointless. Its also irritating and a little bit stupid.
The making-of on the DVD revealed a couple of things; that writer/director Jonathan Levine is an insufferable, airheaded douchebag, and that everyone involved in the making of the film thought that they were making a comedy, which was news to me.
Wackness indeed.
This review of The Wackness (2008) was written by Alex D on 13 Mar 2009.
The Wackness has generally received positive reviews.
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