Reviews > The Wackness

Luke Shapiro is a 17 year old who views the world as bleak who takes nothing seriously in his life. His parents fight about money on a constant basis he is not popular in school & can’t wait to move out. To fiinance this goal he comes up with a plan to become a drug dealer who pushes his product through an ice cream vendors pushcart. Starting to sound bizarre wel lit gets weirder.
He’s about to finish high school & hopes he graduates virginity too. That smoldering summer before college Luke deals with his world - weariness by trading his psychiatrist weed for extra therapy sessions. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley) an aging hipster takes the marijuana to to help him cope with his mess of a marriage & moody stepdaughter Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby)
Spending time with Luke makes the bong tapping pill popping Dr. Squires feel his youth again. Hanging out with Dr Squires brings Luke closer to the ultra -desirable Stephanie. They are both terrified of the future but they both want to get laid. Like all the characters in this film, they misunderstand themselves & give each other the wrong advice, assistance, & friendship.
Doctor & patient become pot-peddlin partners & the therapist - client relationship reverses polarity several times before the story is through. As Luke stretches himself in pursuit of his first real romance, Dr Squires regresses in juvenile behavior but learns like us all no matter how much money you spend or time you spend with the young you can’t get back your youth. The Acting is not superb but descent & the storyline is quite bizarre quirky little film worth checking out once.

Neal Damiano

Film Journalist