The Wackness

SONY
Street: Jan. 8
Prebook: Dec. 4
> Funny and poignant marijuana-fueled coming-of-age saga scores on all counts.

This winning, darkly tinged comedy set in the summer of 1994 centers on Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck of TV’s Drake and Josh), a pot-dealing high school grad who swaps weed for sessions with eccentric psychiatrist Dr. Squires (Ben Kingsley). Inexperienced with the opposite sex, Luke takes a liking to Squires’ step-daughter, Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby), despite the analyst’s warnings to stay away. Wonderfully acted by all (including supporting players Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen and Jane Adams) and smartly written and directed by Jonathan Levine, the film fits into the Garden State/The Squid and the Whale mold of quirky rites-of-passage movies, while maintaining a distinctive streetwise life, mood and scent (from consistent joint-toking) all its own.

Shelf Talk: Though the film was an audience favorite at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Wackness didn’t get beyond an arthouse run. Along with Sony’s coverage on the Web and in hip magazines, good word-of-mouth, a cool soundtrack (a mix of period hip hop and classic rock) and response from pro-cannabis Harold & Kumar/Pineapple Express followers will help the film gain the attention it deserves on DVD.