Review of Thumbsucker (2005) by Sam T — 07 Sep 2008

The book was so much better! The film version is brilliantly casted and acted (this is pretty much the only time Keanu Reeves has ever been effective), but turns the story into a bad series of teen angst film cliches and soapbox sermons about the danger of overprescription.

The religious exploration that was so important to the novel's second half is completely ignored, turning the story's main conceit into a parade of vices to preach about. The decision to make Rebecca into a conglomerate character is smart and economical, but the problem is that it makes her way too interesting to be forced to the sidelines, while Jusitn, who seems bland and kind of obnoxious without the first-person narration from the novel, takes center stage.

Overall, the writing could have used more work, and the Polyphonic Spree-heavy soundtrack gets very annoying very fast (as do the random, unnecessary flashes of surrealism). Kelli Garner, Tilda Swinton, and Vincent D'Onofrio give incredible performances, and Vince Vaughn is hilarious as a tightly wound but easily manipulated jerk of a debate team coach.

This is a showcase for acting that needs a script of the same caliber.