Popping Ritalin pills regularly, the protagonist of "Thumbsucker" becomes a proud member of Generation Rx halfway through the film, thinking it will solve all his problems. Prescription drugs have become an increasingly popular topic in Hollywood. With the likes of "Garden State" and "Prozac Nation" challenging current views of psychiatric medication, director Mike Mills takes a critical stab as well in his feature-film debut. But he takes it one step further by tackling the problems associated with addiction in general, in all senses of the word. As one character so accurately puts it, "Everybody's addicted to something."
On the surface, "Thumbsucker" is just another teen-angst film set in the heart of white American suburbia. It is the coming-of-age story of a teenage boy trying to deal with what it means to be happy. Based on the novel by Walter Kirn, newcomer Lou Taylor Pucci plays Justin Cobb, a 17-year-old who (if the title was not blatant enough) still sucks his thumb. He tries to hide it as best he can, but the dirty habit still manages to cripple both his life at home and at school. He is the standard-issue awkward loner, except that whenever he cannot seem to deal, he resorts to a childlike oral fixation.
His father, Mike (Vincent D'Onofrio, "Law & Order: CI"), is frustrated, but as a miserably failed athlete, he is frustrated with his life in general. His mother, Audrey (Tilda Swinton, "Broken Flowers"), is concerned, but remains detached from the situation, occupying her time with a schoolgirl crush on a TV star. Their infantile attitudes and actions, such as having Justin call them by their first names so they do not feel old, do nothing to make his life easier. On top of everything, there is Rebecca (Kelli Garner, "The Aviator"), the cute eco-crusader and fellow classmate who consumes Justin's thoughts. In turn, each character becomes frustrated with Justin's inability to open up.
Knowing that if he wants things to get better he has no choice but to change, Justin tries to rid himself of his juvenile habit. He attempts to break free from his addiction and a whirlwind adventure follows, transforming not only his life, but also the lives of those around him.
It is truly Justin's odd relationship with his mother that drives the film. Freudian as it may seem, Justin's orthodontist states it plainly in his explanation of how thumb sucking is in essence nature's substitute for a mother's nipple. That is not to say that there exists an Oedipus complex between the two characters, but Justin fears that his mother is too good for him and his family and that eventually she will realize this fact and leave. The household tension that builds throughout the movie not only causes Justin's eventual change of self, but also wins over the audience.
Swinton is already established as a phenomenal actress. Combined with Pucci, who has already won accolades at both the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals for his performances, the two play off each other wonderfully. They create a sense of a real mother-son relationship that is only further enhanced by their actual physical resemblance.
There to help Pucci and Swinton is a fine ensemble cast. D'Onofrio is compelling without being forceful as Justin's father, the guy's guy who cannot connect with his outsider son. Keanu Reeves ("The Matrix") is comical as Justin's hippie orthodontist and guru of sorts, Dr. Lyman. Add in Vince Vaughn ("Wedding Crashers") as Mr. Geary, Justin's eccentric debate team coach, and Benjamin Bratt ("Traffic") as Matt Schramm, the TV hunk with whom his mother is infatuated, and the select cast is complete.
Tying the film together is a distinctive score performed by The Polyphonic Spree and composed by lead singer Tim DeLaughter. By now, most people are aware of the self-proclaimed "choral symphonic pop" group who have been featured in Volkswagen and iPod commercials, the "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" soundtrack and even a performance on the MTV Video Music Awards. Mills uses the quirky musical stylings to provide a soundtrack that perfectly enhances the tone of the film.
A tragicomedy with depth, "Thumbsucker" is a movie that shows the true torment of being a teen. However, Justin's journey sometimes tends to reiterate other films that have already benignly asked the not-so-bold question, "What is normal?" The film's tagline, "I'm not OK. You're not OK. And that's OK," sums up the movie well — it's OK, but not exactly two thumbs up.
Grade: B
