Starring: Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton and Keanu Reeves
Director: Mike Mills
Rated: M
IN recent years, there have been many films about angst-ridden teenagers, like The United States of Leland and Imaginary Heroes, with their portraits of dysfunctional families.
It is a surprise then to find that a film named after a symptom of angst and delayed adolescence is so agreeable and, finally, hopeful with a touch of exuberance.
That’s not to say that the Cobb family is not dysfunctional.
They have huge communication problems, especially Dad (who prefers to be called Mike so as not to seem old), a successful businessman who still pines about his high school injury that cost him his professional football career.
Vincent D’Onofrio gives one of his best performances as the bewildered Mike.
Tilda Swinton is very good as Audrey who, it turns out, is a completely loving and kind mother who helps her children and finds fulfilment in working at a celebrity addiction centre where she aids one of her favourite TV stars (Benjamin Bratt).
This makes the subject of Thumbsucker, Justin, very suspicious.
Surprise supporting roles are taken by Keanu Reeves as a New Age orthodontist and an excellent Vince Vaughn as the debating team teacher.
Justin is played by Lou Taylor Pucci who has to act reserved, sometimes “weird”, and infatuated with one of his classmates, Rebecca.
When the school authorities decide he suffers from Attention Deficit Syndrome, his medication makes him almost change personalities.
Pucci is just as convincing as the hyped Justin who excels in class but particularly in the debating team.
The film has some critical observations on the too quick prescribing of medication to solve adolescent problems – and the danger of being only a few steps away from addiction.
Just when you think the plot is going to come crashing down in guilt and anxiety, it brightens up, has an amusing dream when Justin is on his way by plane to New York University, a kind of summing up of himself and all the people in his life. It concludes with an exhilarating run.
Thumbsucker is a very pleasant surprise.
