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Movie Description
Music-video director Mike Mills's feature-length debut, THUMBSUCKER, is an offbeat, unique film about the trials and tribulations of a relatively normal family living in Oregon. The black comedy stars Lou Pucci as Justin Cobb, a 17-year-old who still sucks his thumb, infuriating his tough father, Mike (Vincent D'Onofrio), a high-school football star who never made it to the pros because of a knee injury. Justin's mother, Audrey (Tilda Swinton), is a nurse who is developing an odd crush on TV actor Matt Schramm (Benjamin Bratt). Meanwhile, Justin becomes more interested in Rebecca (Kelli Garner) than arguing with his peers as a member of Mr. Geary's (Vince Vaughn) debate team. To rid Justin of his thumbsucking habit--as well as other weird things that begin happening after his Zen-like orthodontist, Perry Lyman (Keanu Reeves), hypnotizes him--he is put on medication to combat attention deficit disorder, which further complicates his life and his relationships with friends, family, and teachers. Pucci is magnificent in the title role, capturing just the right nuances in his portrayal of a troubled teenager. The rest of the cast is excellent as well, especially D'Onofrio as a father unable to show his emotions, Vaughn as a cool teacher, and Reeves as a wacked-out dentist. The Polyphonic Spree composed songs for the film, which is based on a novel by Walter Kirn.
Industry Reviews
3 stars out of 5 -- "Pucci is an actor to watch: He rides this spellbinder without softening the truths that plague the thumbsucker in all of us."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (09/22/2005)
"[C]hock-full of original characters and details....THUMBSUCKER is a sly, quirky, even profound meditation on the impediments to survival in suburban America."
Movieline's Hollywood Life - Stacey Farber (09/01/2005)
"The movie has a lot of good bits and terrific performances..."
Premiere - Glenn Kenny (10/01/2005)
"[I]t has an absurdist worldview and some engaging performances, notably the lead."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (09/23/2005)
"It's a startlingly assured film....Mills should be grateful to his actors..."
Sight and Sound - Sam Davies (12/01/2005)
Ranked #28 in Uncut's Best Films Of 2005 -- "[A] quirky, wistful coming-of-age drama and a canny satire on America's obsession with medication."
Uncut - Uncut Staff (01/01/2006)
"It's a trip to see Vaughn ditch his frat-boy cool to play a debate coach and a good-natured Reeves as a Zen-master orthodontist."
Entertainment Weekly - Alissa Cohen (01/27/2006)
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