Directed by:
Mike Mills
Starring:
Lou Taylor Pucci ………. Justin Cobb
Tilda Swinton ………. Audrey Cobb
Vincent D’Onofrio ………. Mike Cobb
Vince Vaughn ………. Mr. Geary
Keanu Reeves ………. Perry Lyman
Benjamin Bratt ………. Matt Schramm
Kelli Garner ………. Rebecca
Chase Offerle ………. Joel Cobb
The Movie
Justin Cobb is just like anyone else transitioning from teen to young adult, he’s trying to find his own identity. But as we all know that’s harder to do than it seems. He has no real friends, is extremely bright and has an uncontrollable problem, in this case that problem is sucking his thumb. This habit has been with him his whole life and the older he gets the more and more he begins to see it as the core reason to why he’s so different. When he begins to get a crush on a girl in his debate class he knows that he has to do something to make him seem normal enough for her to like him. So he sets out to stop sucking his thumb by any means necessary, including hypnosis which is suggested and performed by his own dentist as an alternative to help curb his habit.
The method works but it only helps Justin not suck his thumb which causes him to get even further depressed as he’s in the same situation he was in before only now without the one thing that made him feel safe. So with what he saw as the cause for all his problems out of the way he can’t understand why he still doesn’t feel any more normal than before. With his grades falling and people at school noticing his decline and bring up the possibility of ritalin as a way to help Justin focus on his work. While his parents don’t see how a pill can cure him he sees this as a possible way to finally be normal once and for all. But we all know that you can’t find answers in some magic pill.
The film then shows Justin performing better and trying on different personalities trying to find one that fits him. He slowly begins to see that the ritalin isn’t helping him at all, it’s just speed for those unable to control themselves. Now free from what he saw as an easy way out the remainder of the film is Justin trying to find balance within himself and discovering that you don’t have to be normal by social standards, you just have to be comfortable with yourself in your own body.
There are many nuances in the film that ring home for anyone that grew up as outcasts or with eccentricities that were deemed odd or unacceptable by others. But also appropriate for everyone in its telling of just be proud and accept yourself for who you are, and all the foibles that come with it. Or the bond (or lack there of) between kids and parents. Thumbsucker gives a refreshing view of people coming to terms with their own identity not worrying about conforming to what society deems normal.
Thumbsucker isn’t the only teen centric released last year, there was also the disappointing Daltry Calhoun and the relatively average Chumscrubber and Pretty Persuasion. What this film has that others lacked was relatable characters, people who you could watch and actually find remorse for when things happen to them. Be it Justin trying to quit using his thumb as a safety net, or his parents who after 18 years with him are still learning how to be parents or their attempt at trying to cope with him leaving home for college. What ever it may be they’re so believable and understandable it all takes the movie to a new playing field.
Who doesn’t like a good movie that has elements of a dysfunctional family? They’re always so dynamic and interesting with each character having different traits and quirks along with different reasons as to why they act the way they do. Thumbsucker has one of the most interesting family interaction I’ve seen in a long time, it finally shows that parents are people trying to get a hang of things as they go along. That they’re still kids themselves in many ways and not infallible or know the answers to every one of lifes questions.
Over one hundred actors were auditioned for the role of Justin in the movie and director Mike Mills chose Lou Taylor Pucci for the role out of all the applicants. He plays the role to a T and you can just get lost in his performance. The same can be said for just about every other actor in this movie, from Tilda Swinton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Vince Vaughn, and even Keanu Reeves all of whom never once seem out of character or miss cast. everything really came together on this project and it shows in the movie. Even if some things in the movie seem like if put in the wrong hands could play off as cliche or satire it’s not played out like so and that in large part is due to the talented actors.
Mills has worked on the film for close to seven years from when he first read the novel the film is based on to the release on the movie on DVD and for his first real feature length film he’s done a wonderful job of putting together a movie about teen angst that doesn’t seems like it’s desperately trying to get your attention. Instead goes with the message it tries to tell not caring who agrees or not and for the most part that approach is very effective. The story could have easily found itself walk a fine line between parody and real life but the way in which Mills handled the films original source material the movie is charming and earnest.
score: 8/10
The Video
(Presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen)
The film is presented nicely on DVD with very little if any edge enhancement to the picture. The only real problem is that it at times the picture will come off a slight bit soft which may or may not be due to the lighting used while filming. Other than that the DVD captures Mike Mills’ vision splendidly.
The Audio
(English Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround Sound)
No subwoofer use in the audio track isn’t really a bad thing since it would have rarely been used which probably explains why it was left off the DVD in the first place. The music selection is very light and finds its way on occasion drifting to the rear speakers but for the most part all the action comes from the front speaker where the dialogue is crisp and clear.
The Extras
Feature Length Commentary – Director Mike Mills is the only person on that track which is slightly disappointing as I think it’d have been nicer to have him and author Walter Kirn together on it. Even though it’s only Mills on the track there isn’t a single dead spot on the commentary and he packs in as much technical information that he can in to the films runtime. This will certainly please those who like to hear about the real behind the scenes of filmmaking, a perfect example of that is he goes in to great detail about building back stories for each character.
Behind the Scenes Documentary (21:40) – This is your usual on set type “making of” piece that has the cast and director on screen sharing their thoughts and opinions on the movie. Everyone has very interesting views on what the movie stands for and other things like human interaction or self acceptance.
Conversation with Director Mike Mills and Novelist Walter Kirn (41:20) – Mills is the driving force of the feature asking the questions and guiding the entire piece, at first he seems a little shy or nervous to be on camera to talk about the movie with Kirn who wrote the book. They do eventually get in to a groove together bouncing interpretations off of one another and sharing their thoughts of what things in the movie mean to them. A large section of the piece focuses on bringing the book to the big screen and how Mills adapted it and cast the roles. But it isn’t solely about the movie, Mills also brings up how Kirn originally wrote the book as a series of short stories that was atleast twice the size of the final version of the book which he then widdled down to what he saw as the core story. It’s a very nice and well produced feature that shares a lot of insight.
Previews – The last thing on the DVD are trailers for 2046, Breakfast on Pluto, Junebug, London, Memory of a Killer, Saint Ralph, and The Tenants all of which look very interesting.
score: 7/10
