If you’ve followed any of the fall out from Sundance you’ve probably already heard of The Wackness. Actually, even if you haven’t heard any of the Hollywood gab before or since Sundance, you’ve probably heard of The Wackness – it’s the movie in which Ben Kingsley makes out with one of the Olsen twins. I have no idea which one and frankly, I don’t really care to know.
The buzz out of Sundance is that the film is the sure hit “indie blockbuster” (that sounds like such a contradiction) but judging from the trailer, I can’t say I buy into that. The film is directed by Jonathan Levine (who also directed the yet to be seen horror flick All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) and stars Ben Kingsley, Famke Janssen, Method Man, Olivia Thirlby (you’ll remember her as the best friend from Juno and the love interest in Snow Angels), Mary-Kate Olsen and Josh Peck as a troubled teenage drug dealer who trades drugs for therapy sessions and ends up falling for the doctor’s daughter.
Could have potential and granted, the 1994 NY setting could be fun but this teaser doesn’t sell me. We’ll see if and how feelings change with the arrival of the full trailer.
The Wackness opens in limited release on July 3rd.
The trailer is tucked under the seat.
uh… did you really mean to say that Mandy Lane has not been seen by anyone?
Rusty – Yes I did! Apparently it hasn’t been released yet (though it did play at a bunch of festivals). The Weinsteins sold off the US distribution rights which were bought up by Senator Entertainment. The movie has since been moved around the release board (and has already played in the UK) but it looks like it opens in the US in “limited release” on May 23rd though there’s also an August 2008 date listed on IMDb. Since I can’t find more information, I’m going to guess that’s the DVD release….but that’s just a guess.
I’m hoping that The Wackness is a big step up from All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, which was a tad on the pedestrian side with pretty flat characters and not much to add to the genre other than demonstrate that Levine and team have mastered Final Cut Pro’s various graphical filters and whatnot…
I actually thought All The Boys etc had a lot going for it. It was kind of an exploration on horror convention that sex = immorality = death and the killer as some kind of feminist avenging angel. See it in a double feature with Teeth.
Also the “reveal” may have been telegraphed a million miles away but the way it was handled was awesome.
I haven’t seen it in a while so I can’t quite put my finger on it’s finer qualities but I remember liking it.
ps. And I remember boobies!!!!
I’ve generally heard good things about Mandy Lane. I hope it opens around these parts so I can have a chance to check it out for myself!
Juno’s friend = ugh.
No Famke Jannsen in trailer = disappointed.
Overall impression = no thanks.
Caught this at Sundance and thought it was great. Pretty funny and well paced, but had heart as well. 2nd best flick I saw there (anywhere USA was the tops).