Thumbsucker

[moviegroupie]

Never made an actual thread. I want to see it, and I might tonight.

Justin Cobb still sucks his thumb at 17. He wants to stop and knows that his thumbsucking is disrupting his family, his love life and his identity. The only thing that changes his behavior is hypnosis therapy administered by his "guru" orthodontist. But while Justin felt this would solve all his problems and he would finally be "normal," his troubles were really just beginning.
Genres: Comedy and Drama
Running Time: 1 hr. 34 min.
Release Date: September 16th, 2005 (LA/NY).
MPAA Rating: R for drug/alcohol use, language, sexuality.

it's actually playing nearby.

[DareDevil]

i have kept my self knowing as little as possible about this movie, i barely even know what its about i just know the cast and this film is on my must see list.

[moviegroupie]

8/10

I really liked it, a nice blend of Napoleon Dynamite and Garden State.

Very relatable, and somewhat bizarre (almost I Heart Huckabees quality), but still very very good. I wouldn't recommend seeing it twice though.

Vince Vaughn and Keanu Reeves (surprisingly) rule!

[ilovemovies]

Saw it today and I liked it a lot. Especially the second half. It's a very odd movie but it's unique and funny with some moving moments as well and just a real original. It's a very hard movie to describe but that's a good thing. Third best indie flick of the year, after Crash and Me and You and Everyone We Know.

[Fergus]

I've been reading reviews for this ever since I saw it and I can't understand why some critics will reduce this movie to a lesser relative of Napoleon Dynamite. It makes me angry, because after having watched Napoleon Dynamite numerous times, I've come to the conclusion that its just a quirky movie for quirky's sake. It's shallow as hell and it goes nowhere, granted it is a comedy and most comedies aren't made to be taken too seriously, but then comes along a comedy like "The 40 Year Old Virgin" that is hilarious but manages to rise far above the throwaway comedy level. Napoleon had everyone quoting it till I was annoyed to hell, like, shut-up already.

Thumbsucker is NOT like that. I will compare it to Garden State though, and say that it is the movie Garden State tried to be. Apparently I was one of the few that was sorely disappointed by the lack of depth to Garden State, but maybe it reflected the state of the generation it was paying tribute to. Who knows... But the Zach Braff movie didn't let his characters become real, memorable people. Thinking about the them: Largeman, his father, Portman's character, Sarsgaard's character; nothing about them really stands out about them, I didn't understand who they were, I mean, of course there was exposition and I knew who they were, but I didn't really care.

After THUMBSUCKER, I was attached to Justin, his mom, dad, dentist, debate coach. and hated the chick. Most of all, to me, the movie examines relationships and how the people around you influence the person you become, things you do etc... The dysfunctional family element is there, and its different than other families depicted in films (certainly not contrived in a way that will turn it into a melodrama). Everyone is messed up in some degree from a past experience, confusion, person they met, or drugs they took. There is so much food for thought in this movie, and I know I have to see it again to catch it all, because one interesting scene will go by, i'll be thinking about it and miss something else. There are quirky-funny moments and they made me laugh because a character will take himself so seriously and yet, what he's saying will sound so absurd, like Reeves, the dentist and his hippie psycho-babble, SO. FUNNY. But even after that, I can't just reduce this movie to some stereotype like "quirky indie comedy." Sure it has those traits, but it doesn't stop there. It has quite a few things to say, about causes of dysfunction (which I always find interesting), medicating kids because they may or may not be ADHD, and whether you pick up on those things, that is entirely up to you. I don't expect that everyone be quick to see and praise this movie, if its not your bag, then stay away, its not for you.

It is based on a book I found out (didn't do much research other than the trailer before I saw it) and the literary elements have a more distinct prescence than its cinematic ones. Now, comparing it to Garden State again, this is an area that GS has one-up on "Thumbsucker," Braff has a talent for visuals, the only real reason I somewhat enjoyed that movie. Thumbsucker doesn't have an excess of visual flair (it does have some cool sequences and shots though) but that doesn't make it a bad movie. There are great drama's out there with very little and it's ok to me. I was reading Kenneth Turan's review and he put the movie down for not being very cinematic. Not every movie is or has to be, so what? He also turned it down for credibility but I really don't agree; personally I think he's a crusty old man just like Roger Ebert has become in his reviews. I go to movies not only to be entertained but also challenged by ideas, and when a movie does both, I'm satisfied. It's honest, extremely well acted and Lou Pucci deserves to go somewhere in this crowded film industry.

One of my very favorite flicks this year, (9/10).

[moviegroupie]

Yeah I didn't try to relate it to Napoleon Dynamite to lower the film. I just meant that those were the vibes I was getting. That's all.

And I saw Me and You and Everyone We Know yesterday, that movie is really good too.

[Fergus]

I didn't mean it was you, i was just trying to reference some of the critics who seemed to think the film wasn't at the level of napoleon dynamite? I was seriously miffed, but i'll get over it. all is well. And I need to see Me You and Everyone We Know, but it already came and left the arthouse.

[moviegroupie]

That's right, it left the arthouse.

It's on DVD now lol. no joke.

[Fergus]

It seriously JUST left here three weeks ago. Goodness...

[moviegroupie]

Same thing happened for a theatre near me.

Indies are in one day, out the next.