Ray Pride

Winsome but wonderful, "Thumbsucker," Mike Mill's debut as a writer-director (from Walter Kirn's novel) after a diverse career in graphic arts and video, is a laidback tolerant suburban epic, with the crises of 17-year-old high-schooler Justin (floppy-haired, elfin Lou Pucci, a Johnny Depp in the making), who still sucks his thumb, echoing the inner crises of everyone who sleepwalks around him, from his mother (Tilda Swinton) in love with a TV hero (Benjamin Bratt) to resentful former footballer dad (Vincent D'Onofrio) to pesky debate coach (Vincent Vaughn, also excellent) and his zen/blissed-out orthodontist (Keanu Reeves at his sly, comic best). Enter Ritalin: Justin goes from ADD to aggro in sixty seconds, and a mean, narcissistic debating champ is born. The widescreen compositions, shot in the gorgeous but difficult-to-use anamorphic process, use natural light as often as possible, embellishing the pallid beauty of the story's surroundings. Unnecessary comparisons to "Garden State" and "American Beauty" will abound: pay attention to how the movie looks and sounds, how the faces look and move. Music by Elliott Smith--the icing on the emo. With Kelli Garner, Chase Offerle, Sarah Iverson. 96m.

"Thumbsucker" opens Friday.

(2005-09-20)

Also by Ray Pride

Arms and the Man
"Lord of War" is Andrew Niccol's odd, relentless, hilarious, scathing, idiosyncratic third feature as a director
(2005-09-13)

Tip of the Week
For his fourth feature (after "Freaky Friday" and "Mean Girls"), director Mark Waters marvelously orchestrates the complications of a clever romantic-comedy script by veterans Leslie Dixon ("Outrageous Fortune") and Peter Tolan ("Analyze This") from a French novel
(2005-09-13)

Sympathy for the possessed
There was a three-month stretch last year where I watched ten minutes--a "reel"--of "The Exorcist" (1973) every day. Rude or elegant? Accidental construct or masterful design?
(2005-09-06)

Tip of the Week
Simone Bitton's "Wall" is one of too many exceptional documentaries that find expressive ways to confront the myriad contradictions of life in Israel and its occupied territories
(2005-09-06)

Fall Forward: Film
(2005-08-31)

Tip of the Week
(2005-08-30)

The Politics of Love
(2005-08-30)

Tip of the Week
(2005-08-23)

Begin the penguine
(2005-08-23)

Tip of the Week
(2005-08-16)

All that useless beauty
(2005-08-16)

Tip of the Week
(2005-08-09)

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