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:

school | boy | schizophrenic | money | mistress | 

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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

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$306,705, 15 September 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,681,503, 15 December 2002

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,087,664, 31 December 2002

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 Hampton's party.

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Goofs

When Sookie enters the loft for the first time, she doesn't close the door all the way, and the door dramatically swings open, and then is shut by and unseen crewperson.

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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 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

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Soundtracks

Broken Up a Ding Dong
(1999)
Written by Steve Mason (as S. Mason), Richard Greentree (as R. Greentree),
John Maclean (as J. MacLean) and Robin Johnson (as R. Jones)
Performed by The Beta Band
Courtesy of EMI Records UK/Virgin Records America Inc.

User Reviews

Weird and Wonderful!

Kieran Culkin astounds in "Igby goes down". While the supporting cast (Jeff Goldblum, Susan Sarandon, Ryan Phillipe and Claire Danes) are predictably good, he turns in an electrifying performance. The script is simply superb and the backdrop of New York is wonderful. The master stroke is the use of Rory Culkin as a younger Igby which lends an authentic air of continuity. The only disappointment is Amanda Peet who, as usual, overacts and hams it up as the highly-strung on/off girlfriend. Jeff Goldblum is surprisingly sexy in a role which he seems very comfortable with while Bill Pullman is surprisingly weighty in a minor yet key role which he pulls off extremely well.