Thumbsucker

Thumbsucker

• Director: Mike Mills
• Based on the book by Walter Kirn
• Cast: Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Keanu Reeves, Vincent D’Onofrio, Kelli Garner, Vince Vaughn
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Lou Taylor Pucci – Spring
• Tilda Swinton – Hail Caesar, The Zero Theorem, Snowpiercer, Only Lovers Left Alive, Moonrise Kingdom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Michael Clayton, Broken Flowers, Young Adam, Adaption, Beach, Orlando
• Keanu Reeves – John Wick, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Lake House, A Scanner Darkly, The Matrix Trilogy, Sweet November, The Gift, Feeling Minnesota, Johnny Mnemonic, Speed, Much Ado about Nothing, My Own Private Idaho, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• Vincent D’Onofrio – Cadillac Records, Homicide Life on the Street, Men in Black, Feeling Minnesota, Ed Wood, JFK, Full Metal Jacket
• Kelli Garner – Taking Woodstock, Lars and the Real Girl, The Aviator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Vince Vaughn – Into the Wild, Pauly Shore Is Dead
• Why? Keanu Reeves
• Seen: 14 September 2019      

       Once again, I have absolutely no idea what this film is about. I’ll soon find out.

       Justin (Pucci) is an insecure nerdy teenager who sucks his thumb. His dad (D’Onofrio) is embarrassed and calls it pathetic. His mother (Swinton) tries to be understanding. His dentist (Reeves) tries to help him understand why and how to stop.

       Medication is suggested. He tries it and feels great. He even succeeds on the debating team, winning prizes.

       But life does not get simpler.

       This film got lots of praise and prizes and the acting is good, especially Pucci and Swinton with Reeves doing a convincing weird on this odd role as a very odd dentist. I should like it, but I find it hard to care about these dysfunctional people. There are no doubt important points made here but it comes off as a bit pretentious.

2 ½ * of 5, maybe 3