The Wackness

The Wackness (2008) starring Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby. In the summer of 1994, young Luke Shapiro (Peck) is selling pot in New York City, getting ready to go off to college. Life isn't great for Luke, whose parents are constantly bickering, and who is still a virgin. Then he meets his psychiatrist's (Kingsley) stepdaughter (Thirlby), and romance, or at least friendship, blooms. This is an odd little movie, with quite a few original turns. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Peck is less than compelling in the film's lead role. I kind of enjoyed the movie, but it was uneven. (Subtitles are lacking, though closed captions come to the rescue.) Grade: B