The Wackness
2008 · Movie · R · 99 min · ★ 6.4 · 66% critics
During a sweltering New York summer in the mid-1990s, a lonely teen selling drugs tries to keep his life from unraveling while navigating family stress, first love, and a shaky sense of identity. When he starts trading marijuana for therapy sessions with an unsteady psychiatrist, their unusual bond blurs boundaries and complicates everything.
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Details
- Years
- 2008
- Release date
- 2008-07-03
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Critic score
- 66/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.4/10 (310 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a 90s-set coming-of-age mix of comedy, romance, and messy self-discovery with a standout hip-hop soundtrack; Not for you if explicit sex, constant drug use, or low-key pacing turns you off.
Pros: nostalgic 90s vibe; strong hip-hop soundtrack; funny and touching moments | Cons: slow start; forced slang at times; heavy sex and drugs
Themes
- coming of age
- marijuana
- summer
Awards & recognition
- Sundance Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic · 2008
Cast & crew
Josh Peck
as Luke Shapiro
Ben Kingsley
as Dr. Squires
Famke Janssen
as Kristin Squires
Olivia Thirlby
as Stephanie
Mary-Kate Olsen
as Union
Jane Adams
as Eleanor
Method Man
as Percy
Aaron Yoo
as Justin
Talia Balsam
as Mrs. Shapiro
David Wohl
as Mr. Shapiro
Directed by Jonathan Levine