This is not strictly sci-fi but it is a fantastic film, so I guess it does fit into our remit. Interestingly, this film is already drawing comparisons with Donnie Darko, although this is more to do with it being about a slightly off-kilter, or should I say eccentric, teenager.
The title comes from the fact that the lead character, Justin Cobb, played with great conviction by Lou Pucci, still sucks his thumb at the age of seventeen. Given that his parents insist he calls them by their first names, so they don’t feel so old, and his father has issues of his own that make him practically unable to communicate with his son, it is hardly surprising. His homelife problems are compounded with his school life to make him shy, unconfident dork, for want of a better word.
One of the problems with long-term thumbsucking (now here comes the science) is it causes the front teeth to splay inwards, so naturally, living in dental conscious America, his parents pay for orthodontic correction. His orthodontist, being a new age type of guy, tries to help Justin holistically by getting to the root of the problem, in the interests of preventive dentistry.
Although he initially accepts it, and even stops sucking his thumb, Justin eventually rebels against this treatment, has a run in with the law and, following the diagnosis and advice of a school counsellor, gets put on a course of Ritilin. This transforms him from shy and retiring into a champion debater, but it also makes him lose sight of who he really is, and the film is about his personal journey of discovery.
Being a film about teenage angst there are some great moments of humour as well as drama which are further enhanced by some brilliant casting. The cast is made up of actors often seen in sci-fi/fantasy films, and all cast against type. Vincent D’Onofrio plays Justin’s father in a very restrained way, in contrast to the bug man in Men In Black or the psychotic killer in The Cell. Tilda Swinton does a great job as the mother, again contrasting her other roles such as Angel Gabriel in Constantine. And her co-star in that film, Keanu Reeves, plays a very downbeat dentist with life coach aspirations, Once all the action-hero posturing has been dropped, the monotonous tone of his acting, which he is often derided for, is perfect for this role once. Vince Vaughn, as Justin’s teacher, and Benjamin Bratt, as a self-obsessed, drug-addicted TV star on whom Justin’s mum has a crush, are both excellent and round off this great ensemble cast.
The film is directed and written by Mike Mills, whose previous work has been mostly commercials and music videos, proves that it is possible for a music video director to create an endearing and intelligent narrative movie, free from the usual pretensions associated with that genre. He has also taken the best parts of that style of filmmaking; economy of shots that are well framed and composed and tightly edited. He has also chosen a fitting score that is performed by the Polyphonic Spree.
This is definitely a feel good movie, but one that has a depth that won’t insult the viewer’s intelligence. Highly recommended as an alternative to all the superficial (but entertaining) action films out at the moment.