Igby Goes Down (2002)

Director:

Burr Steers

Writer (WGA):

Burr Steers (written by)

Release Date:

1 May 2003 (Austria)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Insanity is relative

Plot:

A young man's peculiar upbringing renders him unable to competently cope with the struggle of growing up.

Plot Keywords:

Drug Abuse | Dysfunctional Family | Catcher In The Rye | Vegetarian | Marijuana

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 7 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 26

1:00 PM

MyNetwork

Cast

Kieran Culkin	...	Jason 'Igby' Slocumb, Jr.
Claire Danes	...	Sookie Sapperstein
Jeff Goldblum	...	D.H. Banes
Jared Harris	...	Russel
Amanda Peet	...	Rachel
Ryan Phillippe	...	Oliver 'Ollie' Slocumb
Bill Pullman	...	Jason Slocumb
Susan Sarandon	...	Mimi Slocumb
Rory Culkin	...	10-Year-Old Igby
Peter Anthony Tambakis	...	13-Year-Old Oliver (as Peter Tambakis)
Bill Irwin	...	Lt. Ernest Smith, Pershing Academy
Kathleen Gati	...	Ida
Gannon Forrester	...	Little Cadet
Celia Weston	...	Bunny
Elizabeth Jagger	...	Lisa Fiedler

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality and drug content.

Runtime:

97 min | Argentina:99 min (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:14A | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Atlantic Streamline

Trivia:

Kieran Culkin was actually drinking white grape juice at the Hampton's party.

Goofs:

Continuity: Rachel takes Igby's glass away after he spits back the sip he has just taken. In the next shot Igby is holding the glass, but the cigarette has gone.

Quotes:

Igby: Good things come to obsessive-compulsives who fixate.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in American Fame Pt. 1: Drowning River Phoenix (2004)

Soundtrack:

Don't Panic

A film that will stay with you

My first thought when I finished watching this film was, `I can't believe I really enjoyed a film that starred a Culkin.' My subsequent conclusions about the film were not as easily reached.

When I decided to watch this film, I was expecting The Royal Tennenbaums: Part 2. Rich family, the story takes place in a big city, eccentric characters. While both films share these elements, they are very different in that I considered The Royal Tennenbaums to be mostly a comedy; while Igby's few comedic moments are so dark one almost feels badly for chuckling. What this film is really about is family, but not just in the traditional sense. (What is more traditional than a disapproving mother who is more concerned about herself than anyone else in the family, a clinically schizophrenic father, and two brothers: the elder a narcissist (if not practical) and the younger, a rebellious 16 year old who is forced to change schools more often than most of us change our Glade Plug-Ins.) It is about family in any sense: Friends, strangers, anyone Igby encounters and tries to gain acceptance from.

Culkin's Igby, who looks like a waifish Harry Potter without the `imp factor', is an extremely conflicted character. We have seen rebellious types portrayed ad nauseum in films for decades, but it is a rare occasion when this person is both sympathetic and extremely intelligent. The character draws you in enough that you actually want to know why he acts the way he does, and you truly want him to find happiness. Unfortunately, it appears that when a door opens, it slams just as quickly. Culkin is truly fantastic in this role. He shoulders a character that is both intelligent enough to defend himself, yet vulnerable enough to give the impression of fragility. The rest of the cast is also decent, particularly Jeff Goldblum as D.H., a larger than life character who is conflicted in his own right. The story was just complicated enough to keep me very interested, while endearing and thought-provoking enough for me to reflect on it long after it was over.

I'm not entirely sure who I would recommend this film to, but if you are looking for a thought-provoking drama with some great acting, dialogue and story line I would definitely check this movie out. It has received some rave reviews and I believe they are well-deserved.