More Thumbsucker.....
****Added October 2, 2005
:: Thumbsucker reviews - Thank you to BobbyG!
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posted by thereel @ 9:02 AM
3 Comments:
I didn't go to a theatrical screening but I got my hands on a copy of a VHS screener which I watched on Thursday night at home out here in rural Virginia. And BTW don't ask me how the screener showed up or for copies of it - someone I know well and am very fond of, really put himself/herself way out on the line to get the copy to me, so no, I can't provide copies for others. Sorry.
And sorry if you think this contains any SPOILERS
My quick thoughts:
1) I loved how QUIET this film is. No harshness anywhere, no auditory tricks, no silly soundtrack stunts. It is so refreshing to just go with what the actors are doing and not be distracted by intrusive sound cues.
2) The film is very faithful to the book with the noticeable exception that Mike Cobb is far more restrained in the film than in the Walter Kirn book. I happen to appreciate that - if VD'O had played Mike as he was in the book (more physical in his anger towards Justin, more openly hostile and viciously sarcastic) the film would have been too soapy in the Justin & Mike scenes and it would be harder to see VD'O as 'EveryDad of the American Suburbs'.
3) Did anyone besides me notice that the high school extras look like real kids and not "Hollywood-type" kids who all look like they should be doing commercials. I saw (no offense intended) fat kids, kids of different ethnicities, homely kids, mostly the kind of kids you would see on any street in any town's high school. Hooray!
4) I was so gratified to see Vince Vaughn in a role where he DOES NOT SUCK. The man has *finally* shown he can act (although the film stays away from the homosexuality the book clearly ascribed to the Mr. Geary character). What a treat because if VV hadn't come through, he could have really hurt this film.
5) Ditto Ben Bratt. Ben can deliver uneven performances but his Matt Schramm is delightfully goofy (and a suitably badly acted cop in his TV scenes).
6) Lou Pucci and Chase Offerle are young actors to watch out for in the future(the same way that Emile Hirsch and Kieran Culkin and Jena Malone were in "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys"). With well chosen films, they could be the new generation of D'Onofrio caliber actors. It will all come down to what kinds of films they do in the future though (that and staying away from the traps child actors can fall into).
7) I think I prefer the Eliott Smith parts of the score to the Polyphonic Spree tracks, but they both work perfectly where they are used.
8) I have added Mike Mills to my list of directors whose films I will religiously go see (Brad Anderson and DJ Caruso and Peter Care are also on this list -- I'll leave it up to you all to guess which VD'O films they directed). He's got a really great perspective, a really refreshing understated style.
9) Tilda is an interesting Audrey -- she didn't fit my mental picture of the character after having read Kirn's book, but Tilda's got a sensitivity to how she sees Justin that she balances with her relatively mild self-absorbance and controlled fannish obsession that makes her more interesting and not a 'fangurl' stereotype (which she sort of was more like in the book).
10) Keanu is an actor with whom I have a love-hate thing going on. I know VD'O has sworn up and down that he's the smartest actor he's worked with, but I wonder about that sometimes -- personally I think Johnny Depp is a slightly sharper stick and that VD'O might not be the best judge of intelligence out there. Here you can't not love any of the incarnations of Perry Lyman (hippie, yuppie, or burned out real guy). I think I may have to rethink my assessment of Keanu's native intelligence -- I still don't think Keanu's smarter than or better than Depp on-screen, but I'm more willing to believe VD'O when he says that Keanu has read and understood things that most actors don't (like tomes on particle physics). Oh and here in Thumbsucker, Keanu batted this one role out of the park.
Overall grade of the film A+
Overall grade of VD'O's performance A (He's so close to getting the plus in this performance which is perfect but lacks the lagniappe (Cajun for 'something extra') that distinguishes roles like Pvt. Pyle or Farmer Edgar / Edgar Bug or Robert E. Howard (or even Guy Dade or Sam Deed). I think it's the restraint he has to give to Mike Cobb that keeps him from stealing the show.
The show stealer: Vince Vaughn
The almost show stealers: Chase Offerle and Keanu Reeves
The 'star': No question Lou Taylor Pucci
The weakest link: Kelli Garner (and she's actually good, it's just her delivery of dialogue needs a little tiny work -- a few of her lines were hard to hear)
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I had a friend risk life and limb to smuggle the Div-x rip to me so please don't ask. :o\
At the risk of being pompous ass - I thought the film was wonderfully poignant addressing the emotions that many of us have experienced, and touched with humor. I'm guessing many reading this site will identify with Swinton's character.
D'Onofrio delivers a muted performance allowing his expressive demeanor to portray his inner turmoil, dispelling the penchant for overacting he's often been charged with. At the end, his quiet declaration of his feelings to his son are palpable and felt more through his expression than his words.
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