The Wackness

A psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley) is put into a moral quandary when a young drug dealer who's been supplying him with pot in exchange for clinical treatment ends up dating his daughter in this comedy from All the Boys Love Mandy Lane's writer/director Jonathan Levine. Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate ...more

Set in New York City during the summer of 1994, The Wackness is less about reflecting the historical specificities of that year (though there are several references to Rudy Giuliani’s newfound anointment as mayor) than its emotive atmosphere. Sweltering heat and an evocative soundtrack of hip hop favorites, including songs courtesy of A Tribe Called Quest and Nas, foster an energetic tone that rouses youthful nostalgia in the 20 and 30-somethings who are The Wackness’ target audience. With ...more

For those confused by this film's title, "the wackness" is roughly the opposite of "the dopeness," according to Olivia Thirlby's Stephanie, who accuses Josh Peck's Luke of fixating on the ways the world is "wack." There's a lot that's wack here, or just plain out of whack, so The Wackness makes an appropriate title. The 2008 Sundance Audience Award winner is a curious creation; while some smart details and technique validate the affection of the Sundance crowd, the film is stricken with a ...more