The Wackness (2008)

The Wackness is a small indie coming of age films, usually one of my favorite sub-genres, that stars a young man I am familiar with from the Nickelodeon show Drake and Josh. I was excited to see the movie when I realized Josh Peck was in it. The kid is funny.

The movie also stars Sir Ben Kingsley, Juno’s Olivia Thrilby and Famke Janssen as a family trying to stay together in 1990’s New York City. The movie covers the first summer out of high school of socially awkward and burned out drug dealer Luke Shapiro. Basically that’s it. There’s not much here to say about this film. It lacks heart as well as story.

Billy Elliot (2000)

Billy Elliot is an eleven year old growing up in a Northern England coal mining town in the mid-eighties. His mother is deceased, his grandmother who lives with the family is occasionally senile, and his father and brother are distracted with the strike that’s currently taking place in the background of the movie. Jackie Elliot typically has dreams of his son being a great boxer or athlete. Billy doesn’t seem to possess any athleticism and is more interested in the ballet class taking place at the other end of the gymnasium. Billy has to prove to his father he’s not a “poof” but a genuine talent.

Sir Elton John was in attendance on the opening night of the film at the Cannes Film Festival. The father/son element of the story struck a chord with him to the point he began a conversation with the filmmakers to craft a stage play based on the movie. It has become a huge hit in the West End and is now coming to Broadway this Fall.