Film: Thumbsucker
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posted by lljudge @ 7:58 AM
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::Email:: TheReelVincentD'Onofrio.com
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I am going to try not to babble away on this film thread like I did on the previous two...so just two initial observations.
1. The irony of D'Onofrio playing a man whose wife was enamoured with an actor was inescapable for those of us who also find VD'O occupying what is probably more than his fair share of our psychic space.
The scene in which "Mike" tells his son he cannot compete with the man orchestrating his wife's inner life - "It's all out there in picture land, you know I can't reach that, I can't" - well, that was pretty powerful...bittersweet and cautionary. It also featured one of those memorable D'Onofrio 'looks' - the ones that end up defining a whole film for you.
2. I watched Thumbsucker this summer after cramming my poor head full of CI epis, so much so that I feared "Bobby Goren" had become permantently glued to the inside of my eyeballs.
Funny thing, tho. Not for one second when I was watching "Mike" did even a chance image of "Bobby" float thru. Again, whatever trepidation exists that this monolithic "Gornofrio" monster is going to so impress itself on the public's mind that VDO's post-CI career suffers from it...wekk, it's a red herring, imho.
This actor's ability to so accurately create new characters out of whole cloth (sans make-up, sans devices, sans period pieces) will smother the inclination to identify him with anything but what he is doing at the time.
Firefligh hit the nail on the head for me. The irony for me is almost painful. Makes me feel a bit of shame actually. But, great movie. Loved the debating coach trying to be cool and the orthodontist and his chameleon like philosophy
Wow! My favorite men from Speed (Mr.K.Reeves), Wedding Crashers (Mr.V.Vaughn) and Mystic Pizza or Happy Accidents (Mr. VDO) have joined together in ONE movie!!! My dream come true!!!
Pardon me.
When I first noticed Mr. VDO in this movie, I was like: "where have I seen this guy before?" Then his face showed up at LOCI commercial and I was like, WOW! I couldn't believe it was him! That's when I became hooked on LOCI.
Oh yeah... Mr. VDO was also with Mr. Reeves at "Feeling Minnesota". Shucks... he was wearing a beard and I hardly recognized him! I think I'll rent that again.
About this movie... I gave it 4 stars! I liked the story and the characters as well. I admired Lou Pucci's performance. His talent will roll on the tops someday. It really touched me when Mr. VDO was coaching Lou Pucci's acting when they were not on the set. Aawww... it really shows Mr. VDO's sincerity on both reel and real life.
Fantastic work, Mr. VDO, Mr. Reeves, Mr. Vaughn and Lou Pucci!
Thanks for the picture, blog owner! I love that scene! Have a great day!
Thumbsucker was a great movie. Its funny to see a teenager sucking his thumb. I would love to see Vincent on loci with a goatee or beard.
"Thumbsucker" is indeed a great movie-wonderful performances by all and yes, Vincent, again proves he can be whatever he chooses to-wonderful to see him in this different middle-aged, suburban Dad role-great job.
I hear ya Kdelarosa..shame followed by guilt followed by remorse...
...followed by taping yet one more CI epi, followed by buying just one more video.
giggle giggle, they understand...I think)
What did folks think of the rest of the cast...Swinton was her usual Everyday Empress imo, and Bratt was hilarious. I also liked Vaughn and Reeves a lot...and the boy, of course, was fascinating.
I loved Vincent's scenes with Swinton..so tender..
“Thumbsucker” was the movie that drew my attention to Vincent, even though I wasn’t aware of it at the time. I didn’t like the film when I saw it at first, it irritated me, it made me angry, I’m not sure why. Maybe it reminded me of myself in school, and my parents. The mom was trying so hard not to be old, not realizing how her child felt about having a mom who didn’t want to act like one, and the dad acted ashamed of having a child that was different. I was diagnosed with ADD three years ago, after 30 years of wondering why I was different than all the kids in school, and why I couldn’t get good grades with an above-average aptitude. Apparently it touched me on a subconscious level. The only reason I even knew about the film is because of Keanu Reeves. The thing I took away from it was Vincent’s performance, which I thought was perfect as a very insecure, vulnerable guy whose life had turned out so wrong. A kid who woke up in an old body, with two kids of his own, and dreams that never came true. With the role of father and husband that he didn’t want, yet he was terrified of having it taken away from him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any actor reveal his character the way he did, with such raw emotions, yet so subtle, I remembered his performance, even though I didn’t like the movie. Every time I watch Vincent I can tell exactly what his character is feeling.
I had watched a few minutes of “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” when it premiered and was put off by his characterization of Det. Goren. But I think it’s mainly because I didn’t understand his method, or was pissed because he wasn’t another Mike Logan, who I loved and missed so much in the original. It was the same for me as Keiko described. Since I recognized who he was, I’ve watched every episode of the show, several times! I may even become an actor myself because of him!
This movie struck a chord with me. I'm a married nurse who can't stop thinking about an actor......Loved the film. Deep and thought provoking on many levels.
I'm afraid I'm going to be a descenting voice about this movie. I thought it was okay, but nothing spectacular. It was definitely Lou's movie and that's fine; he did an excellent job.
As far as VDO's role...Well, once again it's too minor. I long for VDO to tackle a major leading role again. Now that his CI schedule has eased I hope he will.
I want to see VDO step out of his character actor, minor role comfort zone and plunge himself into a major lead role. Search the sea of scripts, VDO, or write your own, but please, please find a major lead role, use your exceptional talent to its fullest and take the big screen by storm. Knock our socks off!
Ditto, peachybc
While, I can appreciate Thumbsucker as a film that looks to tell a different story from what else is/was out there, it's not one that sticks with me or resonates in any way. To me, it was just a nice little film that didn't seem much of a challenge for someone of Vincent's emotional talent to have performed as well as always in. It seems that it would probably have been a nice, refreshing break to have "stayed in shape" with for him.
^^^Clarification: Ditto on the Thumbsucker opinion.
The character actor comfort zone thing - that's his choice to make. Some of his supporting roles have been meatier and/or, by virtue of his performance, much larger than others. This role just wasn't all that, to me. It was well-done, but nothing that makes me take notice.
I have come to appreciate Thumbsucker more since the day I first saw it. I'm not an actor so I don't know if the subtle performance given by VDO is harder to do than the more "out there" characters ie Bob Howard. From looking at the discussions for the last 3 movies, it seems the majority of us like the movies when VDO has a chance to show a full range of emotions. Any actors out there who can comment on the question above?
Nila
as a viewer, I tend to be more impressed by an actor making something special out of a 'conventional' role, than by racheting up the score off serial killer, oddball, and more eccentric roles...I guess being a character actor doesn't necessarily mean you play a 'character'.
This was one of Vincent's roles that I can't help but feel would have been one big blah, or a macho martinet in the hands of many others...the Mike Cobb character became so much more multi-dimensional than it was written to be thru VD'O' s interpretation, imo.
I'm thinking now of the scene where he and Swinton are lying on the bed and he expresses his fear about his son "being smarter" than him..it was so sweetly matter-of-factly vulnerable..no bombast, no whining, just the way long married couples communicate.
When I saw it , I said "yes!"..Mike in that scene is that little boy that every wife knows her husband, in some situations, will always be.
And you know how to handle it.
I loved the scene when Mike tells his son something that really surprised me..and that was that his football injury hadn't 'maybe' been that bad..that maybe he could have played. That meant he knew had he become a pro football player he would have 'lost' his relationship with Swinton's character..she had said earlier he had been somewhat of an 'ahole' when he played. She apparently never knew he had chosem her over football...I suppose she felt a lot like the second prize all along as a result.
That one line completely reversed the dynamics of the family that you had been led to think existed, you then had to go back and see it all in a new light, and again had those lines been delivered with any more 'force' it would have sounded vaguely threatening to the boy's sense of security, one octave more plaintive and it would have come across maudlin.
I freely admit to knowing zilch about acting, but I am old enough to have observed a little about life. And as a result, I totally 'trust' Vincent's instincts. There were many scenes he could have overplayed, but he gave them just the right touch for the viewer to be able to connect the scene to his/her own life.
They felt 'real".
Anyway, I thought a lot about the 'little lies' that exist in a marriage after that, the good ones as well as the bad ones.
And I really loved how Vincent had "Mike" working out how to relate to his son..the 'just as I get to know you, you're' gone" idea.
I figured my comments would spark something.
Firefligh, I did not question VDO's acting ability. He is one of the most remarkable actors there is. No contest. Any role he tackles is guaranteed to shine with incredible depth and nuance.
That's why these minor roles (not much air time) leave a viewer longing to see VDO in a lead role. I'm not talking about some Hollywood fluff leading man part. God forbid! I'm talking about a leading man role/character that's complicated, has depth and is worthy of his talent.
Why do so many people tune in to watch CI?? It's for the stories and to watch an incredible actor in an excellent lead role. AND we get to enjoy VDO's riveting performance for a full hour. :-)
I think that many of us would like to see Vincent as the lead actor in major movies because frankly he is that good and deserves these roles-but I believe that this is the course he has chosen for himself and we have to accept his decision and appreciate his principles.
peachybc, you didn't sound one iota critical of VDO's acting ability, so please don't worry that what you had to say was taken so :)
I think after this long CI stint, all his fans are hankering for something BIG and special. I hope the tv exposure, and just the sheer number of people who now finally know 'that guy's' name will translate into wonderful roles for him...the line between 'character acting' and 'leads' seems to be as blurred today as between "Hollywood" films and indies...what counts is a well written script - the opportunity starts with the writing and if an actor is lucky enough to fall into a dynamite role, it hardly seems to matter how it was categorized.
Imho, Vincent has been the 'best thing' about far too many fatally flawed films..what can an actor do, tho, but keep acting? (and getting better and better while doing so)
In this gal's world tho, he's more than earned a few plumb roles...the problem is, I don't see much screen play writing worth squat, so inevitably it's up to the actor to turn silk purses out of sow's ears.
I can't remember the last time I saw a film that I considered 'great cinema'.
PS I'm watching the Pucci boy on CI right now - he's taken on an early Gary Oldham look since Thumbsucker - the kid is going to be much handsomer than his earlier movie role indicated - grew out of the awkwardness nicely. That's gratifying to see in a teen.
I, too, peachy, didn't think that you had said anything doubting Vincent's abilities either. I only made my clarification just to separate myself from making any more demands on his career than those that he wants to place on it himself.
It's kind of like the whole 'Why become a nurse if you're capable of being a doctor?' type of conversation. There's a level of responsibility and sense of accomplishment inherent in both roles, but there are aspects to being a doctor, the higher profile and more highly praised role, that those who choose nursing neither want nor need. Conversely, there's a level of involvement with and appreciation from patients within the nursing role that doctor's don't get to experience on the day to day, and, for some, perhaps don't feel that they want to. In all, both roles are equally important and are interchangeable as far as which has the opportunity to stand out most in the eyes of the individual patient being cared for. The bottom line is that it's up to the individual professional to decide which positive aspect of each role -over and above the fact that they just want and need to be able to care of patients, PERIOD- are most important to and most gratifying for them in relation to who they are as human beings as they go forth in operating within the medical field. And hell, if one wants a bigger role in patient care (outisde of becoming a nurse practitioner, which is a whole other thing that doesn't fit here) there are always the 'smaller' facilities -nursing homes, hospice houses and the like- in which no one is exactly expecting any form of praise and glory, but the nurses are the caregivers who step up into the lead and are there doing so solely because they want to be; not because they have to do such a thing for their career.
Now, I'm not sure if this whole anology makes any sense, at all to anyone besides me, but, there you go as far as how I view placing pathway expectations on Vincent's career...
na
I, a mental health professional hate to admit (anywhere but here) about my irrational crush on my favorite actor. My adoration began in season 1, The Faithful.
Goren is my hero...as we say in French, he is a mensch.
Peachy, I agree with your critique....My VDO collection has almost every film and video that can be obtained and in the Thumbsucker DVD there is a dialogue between the director and the author......for me that was more interesting than the picture....I recommend it highly.....
But I am happy the fans enjoyed it.....frankly, I enjoy reading the eloquent comments and appreciate all the info and all the work that the admin shares with us.
Thank you all.
VDO's character could have totally been a stereotypical ex-jock who emotionally beats up on his kid, and probably would have been if VDO hadn't played the part. It was his portrayal of the silences that let you see the conflict in this man, fighting to not be just a stereotype. In the scene where the son brings him the acceptance letter from college, VDO almost pulls your heart right out, and he has like three lines. And you are right, I never thought of Bobby Goren in the movie. On another note, the actress who played his wife was excellent too. I saw her in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and she scared the crap out of me. But I never thought of her as the Ice Queen when I watched this movie.
did anyone else really like the dvd special features on this one?
The commentary with director and novel author was excellent, imo, and I loved the director's discussion of how Vincent uses his body.
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