Sadly Over-hyped

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The Wackness takes place in the most hip-hop relevant environment for its time. I liked how they managed not only to create an amazing soundtrack consisting of some true hip-hop classics, but also to show how hip-hop is more than just the music. Also, the fact that they got Method man on board made the movie even more hip-hop authentic. All in all, a great cast, good acting, neat period of time, thought-provoking philosophic quotes from Dr. Squires and most important of all a great soundtrack. I really don't get how this movie hasn't got better reviews.

This is my first review on IMDb, but this movie deserves more than that. I watched it yesterday at home & it was perfect. The cast, the city and the MUSIC - oh man that just ruled the movie since the beginning. I must say that if you're strongly against drugs don't watch it and also if you think that real life drug dealing works like this, than put your pink glasses down and one more - this ain't a movie about drugs. I would say that this movie shows that not only young people are having problems and issues in their lives but also old people smoke weed and cant deal with their personal stuff either. It very interesting to see 2 completely different guys by age and profession (put together by sellin and smokin weed) could deal with very similar problems. Finding out that real friendship and company of someone you care about and who cares about you is exactly the most important thing you can experience in your life. This whole accompanied by great - AND I MEAN IT !!! great music makes this movie one to remember. And of course "Mr. METH" - as a rastafarian drug dealer was a huge laugh for me.

Jonathan Levine's "The Wackness" stars Josh Peck as Luke, a Manhattan teen growing up in a mid 1990s New York. Levine's tone is one of nostalgic romanticism, with its washed out visual palette, sun-flares, slow-mo sequences and lyrical camera-work. Trinkents of 1994 are littered about (mix tapes, hip-hop tracks, 90s fashion, cumbersome street vending cars, Biggie, Method Man, VHS, our hero who blows air into the bottom of his Nintendo cartridge), such that the film at times feels like, say, a filmed version of the Smashing Pumkin's 1979; an ode to adolescence lost. This is a pre-Giuliani New York, before mayoral muscle cleaned up the streets and gentrified the colourful city.The plot? Luke's a troubled teen who sells drugs from his vending cart. One of his clients is Jeff Squires (Ben Kingsley), a psychologist to whom he sells weed in exchange for therapy sessions. Both characters turn to drugs, sex and booze as a means of escaping what Luke calls "The Wackness", the tribulations of their daily lives. Both eventually, however, opt to live lives which joyfully take in the good with the bad, a clean up effort which is mirrored to Giuliani's purging of New York City and Times Square. Much of the film revolves around Luke's budding romance with Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby), Squires' stepdaughter. He's rejected by her, but learns to embrace this wackness rather than nosediving further into a placating haze of marijuana. Many of Squire's speeches equate sex with drug addiction, and the film even goes so far as to equate the wackness – bad stuff which happens – with a failure to "score", be it sexually or a stash of drugs. If all humans are creatures of addiction, Luke muses, governed by biochemical rushes, then maybe the wackness is a good thing. Nobody wants to be high all the time.While its tone is handled better (or more interestingly) than is typical of this genre – nice near-sepia cinematography, 90s street slang, another weird performance by Kingsley, a coming of age plot which juggles well sap and heart – it's actor Josh Peck who makes the film work. Peck's a troubled child actor who's himself battling obesity and drug addiction problems. With his forlorn eyes, mouth breathing, odd facial mannerisms, unconventional style of line-reading, mix of vulnerability, depression and his sexily wounded puppy-dog look, the film wouldn't work at all without him.8.5/10 – Worth one viewing.

The Wackness is a hugely enjoyable coming of age movie. Set in 1994 in New York, it documents the post high school summer of the loser, dope seller: Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck). Sounds average, it's not. I hate to use this adjective because it sounds ridiculous but the whole movie has such a fresh feel to it; it is immensely involving and the soundtrack compliments the film perfectly. Again, this sounds silly but the soundtrack that includes Notoriously B.I.G, Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest brings a whole new lease of life to this era of Hip-Hop. The Wackness captures the excitement around the music that was emerging when this film was set in the same way that Almost Famous brings to life the music of Led Zepplin and Elton John among others (If you haven't seen it then watch it as well).The greatest character of The Wackness is Luke's shrink Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley) who is step-dad to Jack's love interest. This drug addled, middle aged psychiatrist is a great balance to the 'bright eyed and fresh faced' Luke Shapiro. Jeffry Squires is the character who sparks and influences the 'coming of age' aspect of the film. All in all this film has an engaging storyline, and Jonathon Levine directs this film fantastically. A highlight is the soundtrack which is mainly 90's Hip-Hop. If this isn't your first choice of music give this film a chance and it may well convert you.