Igby Goes Down (2002)

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

Director:

Burr Steers

Writer:

Burr Steers

Stars:

Kieran Culkin, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Goldblum

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

Seventeen year old Jason Slocumb, Jr. - Igby to most that know him - comes from east coast old money, the second son of self-absorbed and controlling Mimi Slocumb and medically-diagnosed schizophrenic Jason Slocum, Sr., the latter who has for several years been institutionalized in a Maryland psychiatric facility. While Igby's economics-studying Columbia-attending older brother Ollie Slocum has embraced and aspires to continue their wealthy life, Igby has rebelled against it, considering his brother a fascist (although he could soften that label to Republican). Because of Jason's situation, Mimi has largely left the role of male role model for Ollie and Igby to their godfather, D.H. Banes. Igby's rebellion has led to him being kicked out of one prep school after another, the latest, a military academy, from which Igby escapes before he can graduate. As such, Mimi and D.H. arrange for Igby to live in New York with Ollie for the summer while working for D.H. renovating some of his ...

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Plot Keywords:

mistress | sex in bed | panties pulled down | pink panties | black panties | 

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Taglines:

Insanity is relative

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, sexuality and drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Igby Goes Down

Filming Locations:

Empire Diner, 210 10th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$306,705, 15 September 2002

Gross USA:

$4,777,465

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,919,198

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Atlantic Streamline, Crossroads Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 99 min (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kieran Culkin was actually drinking white grape juice at the Hamptons party.

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Goofs

Russel's vest is alternately buttoned and unbuttoned in the loft.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Igby: Why couldn't she have been a fucking smoker.
Oliver: This has nothing to do with her being in such wonderful shape. The cause of our trouble was our inability to come up with a drug short of paint thinner, that would be at least somewhat novel to her system. She's built up a tolerance to everything.
Igby: A tolerance? She's taking her fucking afternoon nap.

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Connections

References Cries & Whispers (1972)

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Soundtracks

The Weight
(1968)
Written by Robbie Robertson (as R. Robertson)
Performed by Travis
Travis appear courtesy of Independiente/SINE
a division of Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.

User Reviews

Holden Caulfield with a Harry Potter scarf

I'm very pleased to see other reviewers comparing Kieran Culkin's character Jason/Igby to The Catcher in the Rye's Holden Caulfield - while watching the film I was thinking the same thing, much to writer/director Burr Steers' credit. This is THE Social Commentary movie I have been waiting to see for a long time now - fearless, witty, arch, poignant without being sentimental, and, best of all, the characters are not one-dimensional, they all live and breathe and we feel the agony they are suffering behind their socially privileged masks.

Culkin is especially brilliant (and so sad, with his Harry Potter scarf - a young wizard without any magic), but everyone shines here - Sarandon, Pullman, Danes, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, Jeff "how-can-I-be-any-creepier" Goldblum, and of course Jared Harris, who positively reeks eccentricity without even having to open his mouth (but when he does, it's always good too). A fine first film from a director/writer who definitely bears watching.