Starring: Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Jonathan Levine
Country: USA
Genre: Dramedy

Coming of age isn’t just for teenagers.

The coming-of-age film can usually be riddled with independent film clichés bogging down any semblance of tenderness the story may hold, but if the film is really driven from a personal place and passion it can usually overcome these obstacles. Such is the case with Jonathan Levine’s The Wackness. The cast is as solid as they come, with strong performances from both experienced veterans (Ben Kingsley = greatest actor ever,) as well as newcomers (the underrated Olivia Thirlby, and under seen Josh Peck.) It’s a tale of first love, a journey into manhood, and a huge slice of nostalgia as it takes place in the mid-nineties and boasts a soundtrack of the greatest era of rap music. Like the best independent dramedies, it balances its quirkiness with its darkness really well, and ultimately creates a portrait of what it was like to take the first step toward growing up at age 18 and at age 50.