The Wackness (2008)

It's the summer of 1994, and the streets of New York are pulsing with hip-hop. Set against this backdrop, a lonely teenager named Luke Shapiro spends his last summer before university selling marijuana throughout New York City, trading it with his unorthodox psychotherapist for treatment, while having a crush on his stepdaughter.

Director:

Jonathan Levine

Writer:

Jonathan Levine

Stars:

Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Olivia Thirlby

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Kingsley	...	Dr. Squires
Josh Peck	...	Luke Shapiro
Famke Janssen	...	Mrs. Squires
Olivia Thirlby	...	Stephanie
Mary-Kate Olsen	...	Union
Jane Adams	...	Eleanor
Method Man	...	Percy
Aaron Yoo	...	Justin
Talia Balsam	...	Mrs. Shapiro
David Wohl	...	Mr. Shapiro
Bob Dishy	...	Grandpa Shapiro
Joanna Merlin	...	Grandma Shapiro
Shannon Briggs	...	Bodyguard #1
Roy Milton Davis	...	Homeless Man
Alexander Flores	...	Kid in Bar

Storyline

Friendship, love, and coming of age in New York City, summer of 1994. Luke Shapiro has just graduated from high school, sells marijuana, and trades pot for therapy from a psychologist, Dr. Jeffrey Squires. Luke is attracted to a classmate, Stephanie, who's out of his league and Squires' step-daughter. By July, he's hanging out with Stephanie, taking her on his rounds selling pot out of an ice-cream pushcart. Then things take a turn. In the background, Squires and his wife as well as Luke's parents are having their troubles.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | high school | therapist | coming of age | hip hop | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes it's right to do the wrong things.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive drug use, language and some sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Josh peck doesn't smoke weed in real life

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Goofs

The movie is set in 1994 but when Luke returns to find his family being evicted there is a current model BMW 7 series, E65/E66, turning the corner in the background. These have only been manufactured since 2002-2008.

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Quotes

Dr. Squires: Life has a funny way of turning you into the one thing you don't want to be.

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Crazy Credits

When the Sony Pictures Classics logo appears at the very beginning and at the very end of the film, the word "classics" is erased and replaced with a graffiti rendering of the same word.

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Connections

Features The Legend of Zelda (1986)

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Soundtracks

Summertime
Written by Robert Kool Bell (as Robert Bell), Ronald Bell, George Funky Brown (as George Brown), Hula Mahone (as Lamar Mahone), Robert Spike Mickens (as Robert Mickens), Craig Simpkins, Claydes Smith, Will Smith, Alton Taylor, Dennis D.T. Thomas (as Dennis Thomas), Richard Westfield
Performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Courtesy of Jive Records
By arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment

User Reviews

Aimless Tired Cynical (and that's good)

It's the summer of '94 in Giuliani's New York City. Friendless Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck) deals drugs from his ices cart, and his parents are constantly fighting. He trades pot for therapy from psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley). Luke falls for Jeffrey's stepdaughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby). She treats him like a friend at first, but he wants so much more.

I wasn't sold on Josh Peck's performance at first, but it kind of grew on me. He's aimless, tired, and cynical. Ben Kingsley's character isn't much better. He spends his days smoking weed, and he rather do some groping on Mary-Kate Olsen. Olivia Thirlby plays the closest thing to a full grown adult in this movie or is she the most damaged? Director/writer Jonathan Levine brings these characters to life even though there isn't much life in these characters. It has a certain low energy charm to it all.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Sony Classics [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Wackness

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$138,401, 6 July 2008

Gross USA:

$2,077,116

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,175,469

Company Credits

Production Co:

Occupant Entertainment, SBK Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1