SummaryThe Wackness centers on a troubled high school student named Luke Shapiro--a teenage pot dealer who forms a friendship with Dr. Jeffrey Squires, a psychiatrist and kindred lost soul. When the doctor proposes that Luke trade him weed for therapy sessions, the two begin to explore both New York City and their own depression. (Sony Picture Classics)... Read More
Directed By:Jonathan Levine
Written By:Jonathan Levine
The Wackness
Metascore
Generally Favorable
61
User score
Generally Favorable
6.8
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
61
60% Positive
18 Reviews
18 Reviews
40% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
83
A funny, touching mood piece.
75
Nostalgic for those bad old days, The Wackness was shot at a time when it actually looked like "America's Mayor" was going to be in a position to perform a similar cleanup on the entire country. That, of course, turned out to be a pipe dream.
70
Nothing is surprising, that is, except the fact that the film has a big heart, a core of sweetness and tremendous cinematic ambition.
63
Disappointingly, the movie runs along the track of many earlier coming-of-age dramas, with appointed station stops at Cynicism, Puppy Love, Puppy Sex, Puppy Heartbreak, and Greater Wisdom.
60
All the drug-slinging material's counterfeit, but the script is refreshingly straight-faced in looking at the strange relationship between white boys and rap.
50
The Wackness' main draw is Kingsley's giddily over-the-top performance as a pothead, and the film delights in showing Gandhi sparking a huge bong or making out with Mary-Kate Olsen in a phone booth.
50
A crowd-pleasing portrait of boys-who-will-be-men-who-will-be-boys.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.8
52% Positive
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
48% Mixed
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Mar 3, 2014
4
It was enough to vaguely keep my interest, but just flailed around mostly. If you manage to get through the boring stuff, the end actually lifts it slightly. It's a long uninteresting trip though. Some decent retro editing and lighting and acting is decent for what the actors were given to go off, but overall, another example of an indie film which comes off as slightly pretentious. Shouty intense Josh Peck just reminds me of his Drake & Josh days too unfortunately.
Production Company:
- Occupant Entertainment
- SBK Pictures
Release Date:Jul 3, 2008
Duration:1 h 39 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Sometimes it's right to do the wrong things.
Awards
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Melbourne International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
