• The Wackness (2008)

    It's summer in New York City, the year is 1994, and teenage marijuana dealer Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck) is trading dime bags for sessions with his therapist, Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley). Luke has girl troubles and self-esteem issues, but the doctor has problems of his own -- namely, his deteriorating marriage and midlife crisis. Together, the mismatched pair launch across the metropolis...

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The Wackness
61
metacriticBased on 30 Critics
74
Based on 35 Users

Release Date: July 3rd, 2008

DVD Release Date: January 6th, 2009

R |1 hr 50 min

Plot Summary

It's summer in New York City, the year is 1994, and teenage marijuana dealer Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck) is trading dime bags for sessions with his therapist, Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley). Luke has girl troubles and self-esteem issues, but the doctor has problems of his own -- namely, his deteriorating marriage and midlife crisis. Together, the mismatched pair launch across the metropolis on an odyssey full of girls (Olivia Thirlby, Mary-Kate Olsen), hip-hop and cannabis smoke.

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby, Mary-Kate Olsen, Jane Adams, Method Man , Aaron Yoo

Director: Jonathan Levine

Genres: Comedy drama

Production Co: Shapiro Levine Productions, Occupant Films

Keywords: Amusing, Daughter, Emotional, 1990s, Quest, Growing up, Charming, Love, New York City

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 80
    Duane ByrgeThe Hollywood Reporter

    A tightly packed entertainment. It explodes through familiar teen-transition territory with dark ironies, but, all the while, touches are sentiments. show more

  • 60
    Dana StevensSlate

    The Wackness may not have much that's new to say about being 17--it's a fairly standard coming-of-age drama with a couple of noteworthy performances--but it's a definitive compendium of trivia about 1994 (by Levine's lights, the best year ever).

  • 70
    Bob MondelloNPR

    The story's not really about youthful indiscretions. It's more a tale of a young man struggling toward maturity, even as an older man struggles to abandon it. With that story, and that offbeat friendship at its center, The Wackness will likely strike plenty of chords with plenty of audiences.

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

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