I’ve now seen Jonathan Levine’s The Wackness three times - twice at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Dramatic Audience Award (which explains why I screened the film a second time during award day), and again at a secret screening during the South By South West Film Festival in Austin Texas. You may have noticed me calling American Teen my favorite film of 2008 (so far), but The Wackness holds a spot in the top five along side Assassination of a High School President. You probably want to know what this movie is about right? Here is the official plot synopsis:
“Set in New York in the sweltering summer of 1994, THE WACKNESS tells the story of a troubled teenage drug dealer, who trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist.. Things get more complicated when the kid falls for one of his classmates, who just happens to be the doctor’s daughter. Set against the backdrop of the greatest year in hip hop history, THE WACKNESS is a coming-of-age story about sex, drugs, music–and what it takes to be a man.”
Sony Pictures Classics has finally released a teaser trailer. And while I love the graffiti re-do of the Sony logo, the music, and the way everything was cut together, I’m just not sure the moments used accurately give you any real indication what this film is like. For example, I don’t think you get any idea what kind of relationship Josh Peck’s character and Ben Kingsly’s character have. And their relationship really is the core of this film. Watch the trailer and tell me what you think in the comments below.
You can watch the new trailer in High Definition on MTV.com. Sony Pictures Classics plans to release the film in New York and Los Angeles on July 3rd 2008.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I don’t think the trailer is going to work for anyone outside the U.S.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Trailer is now working
April 15th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Looks great. Olivia Thirlby is hot.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:40 am
the trailer looks terrible, but the plot synopsis sounds very interesting
April 15th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Cant wait to see all 3 of those movies…
April 15th, 2008 at 11:49 am
What an awful trailer. Not one thing within it made me think to myself, “I have to see this”, let alone, “I want to see this”. The graffiti styling was neat, but at some points, I wish that they opted to use a bigger font, which would make the wording more legible too.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Looks interesting for sure. Didn’t that guy used to be fat and on Nickelodeon?
April 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Seems a little like Spike Lee/Larry Clark-lite. But then it is just a trailer.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Shit. I couldn’t get fast enough to get advanced tickets. Sigh. Can July come any faster?
April 15th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
looks cool, but i wanna know more bout the plot.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Wow, what a complete waste of film. This looks dreadful.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
The trailer makes it seem like just another “Step up” movie, especially since it leaves that MTV after taste. But i would love to see it because of the plot, NOT the trailer.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Dissapointed in the lack of tits and cyborgs.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
What’s the name of the song?
April 15th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
i love how they go Ben Kingsley Josh Peck FAMKE JANSSEN when she isn’t even in the trailer
April 15th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
famkefan, she’s barely in the movie. I think her above the line credit is a contractual thing.
April 16th, 2008 at 5:10 am
oh really i thought she at least had a bigger role than Mary Kate/Method Man either way i’m looking forward to her other indie Turn the River much more than this it looks way better and also got raving reviews/awards at festivals
April 16th, 2008 at 6:58 am
Does anybody know the name of the song in the trailer?
April 25th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Derek asks… “Didn’t that guy used to be fat and on Nickelodeon?”
No, you’re thinking of the other guy. This guy was always thin and never on Nickelodeon.
April 28th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Actually he was the fat kid on the show “Drake and Josh” on Nickelodeon.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:06 am
The song I’ve been told is called “What Goes Around” by Move.Meant but I’m not entirely sure, and I can’t seem to find it anywhere. I’ve even tried to contact the artists’ myspace for information cause I like it a lot.
May 14th, 2008 at 5:20 am
I totally like the song that plays throughout the trailer, does anybody could help me to find this song, because i can’t find it anywhere…
May 17th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
yo I think this trailer is pretty sick. The movie looks pretty fuckin good if you ask me
May 20th, 2008 at 6:32 am
The only place you can get the song from the trailer at the moment is
here at the band’s site -
http;//www.meanttomove.com
May 20th, 2008 at 9:43 am
The song got put up on Move.meant’s MySpace last night
myspace.com/movemeant