summer movie preview, teens, ben kinglsey, mary-kate olsen, the cinema

Will The Wackness Be, Um, Wack?

Have you seen the trailer for that movie The Wackness? It has a supremely bizarre cast that includes Josh Peck (from the screechy, unbelievably unwatchable Nickelodeon show Drake & Josh), Ben Kingsley, and Mary-Kate Olsen (who, er, makes out with Sir Ben in the film). It's set in New York City during the heady old timey days of 1994, and follows a mumbly youngster (Peck) who deals drugs the summer before he waddles off to college. Besides the complete peculiarity of a 90's nostalgia movie existing at all, it looks like it could be fun if only for Kingsley's bizarre accent and the Olsen factor. It could also be really, really fucking annoying in that "precocious teen actors who think they're being really cool because they talk about drugs and act coy in a little indie movie" kind of way. Trailer (with a good song) after the jump.

1:11 PM on Mon Apr 28 2008
By Richard
2,103 views
19 comments

Comments

haunts at 01:20 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

I'll stay home and watch Kids, for the 1,723rd time.
Ed at 01:20 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

Besides the complete peculiarity of a 90's nostalgia movie

Well, "The Wedding Singer" came out in 98 and was set in 85. "The Wackiness" delves one year deeper. I'm sure they'll mention OJ, but will they also give a shout out to "In the Kicthen with Rosie"?
Ed at 01:21 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

Sorry, "Wackness."

Though this movie may be wacky.
izzodee544 at 01:26 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

zomg it's soooo indie

no but honestly I think it might be awesome... I mean it's no more pretentious than juno...
CodePink at 01:30 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 535

I have no idea what these kids are saying in this trailer because I don't have speakers on my work computer but I think they're saying something like this:

"It's drugs man, we sell 'em, they buy 'em, simple as that."

"Produce. Product. Production. I have no part in that. I'm here to sell what they make."

"You're looking pretty cute these days."
"Yeah? You too."

"College is like what we're supposed to do. But it's not what we need to do. What we need to do. Is live." (spins around in circle in rain)
Chaim Gnadelstein at 01:41 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 158

The term "Sundance acquisition" has basically thrown up a giant red flag ever since Napoleon Dynamite.
glitter at 01:42 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

It looks like it might be so disgusting that it's hilarious.
In other words: can't wait!
Oface at 01:48 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

I'm not going to lie....if it was on late at night, and I were drunk, I'd probably watch it.
louisev at 02:13 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

The idea of Mary-Kate Olsen making out with Ben Kingsley just made me lose my appetite for lunch.
BK_KT at 02:32 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 123

@Ed: Has anyone seen Alpha Dog? That was a period piece of 19 fucking 99. Justin Timberlake wears plaid shorts and a bucket hat! Dominique Swain wears a tube top and unflattering flared jeans!
La Cieca at 02:37 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 66

"Hello, Nibblenads? Yes, It's me, The Past! Guess what, Humpyhole, I'm in a movie!"
CashMoneyHoney at 02:41 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

What's up with Ben Kingsley getting all the action? Making out with Mary Kate and having sex scenes with Penelope Cruz, is that what knighthood is all about?

post script - I do think Josh Peck is cute.
thecomicscomic at 02:41 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

I was on the set that fabled day-turned-night in Greenpoint when Sir Ben and Miss Mary-Kate would see their careers joined at the lips, and knowing this, and watching Sir Ben jump around in a scene, only makes me want to see this movie this week at Tribeca and not have to wait until July. Even if it all truly turns out to be wack.
donmiguel at 02:43 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

The Wackness is the apotheosis of self description.
nocommentohwait at 02:52 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

I went to a press screening of The Wackness last month and it was actually very good (and no, I don't have anything to gain from this). Mary Kate's role is ridiculously overhyped -- she's only in the movie for about five minutes total. Great soundtrack and Josh Peck and Olivia Thirlby were excellent.
misskarina at 03:54 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

It is really, really annoying, and there's nothing "coy" about it. And the Olsen/Kingsley hook-up is actually not the most disturbing hook-up in the film: [blog.spout.com]
BowlingAlleyLawyer at 04:44 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*
Connectedness Index: 0

I always had a really shameless and creepy crush on Josh Peck when he was in Drake & Josh. Then he got all skinny and all kinda snarky looking... which means my crush has only intensified.
If I see this movie, Josh may move even further up on the list and knock Gordon Ramsay out of my #1 pointless-really-weird-celebrity-crush-list position.
ScottieB at 04:45 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

I worked on this pain in the ass shoot, and I am here to tell you that the script was really good and it LOOKED GREAT ! And I would have been the first one to trash it....
izzodee544 at 05:08 PM on 04/28/08
Reply by Email
*

@BK_KT: also, it will scar you for life!