It might seem strange at first to say independent film has become mildly formulaic, but it's slightly true. The salvation, however, comes in the form of originality. "Thumbsucker" has a lot of both and the result is a satisfying but not overly empowering movie.
"Thumbsucker" pulls together a cast that is no doubt impressive. There's everyone from mainstream actors like Vince Vaughn and Keanu Reeves to not as marquee but respected talents like Tilda Swinton and Benjamin Bratt. Most of the characters are very original and interesting which seems to either result in great success or a lapse in identification with the story. For example, the father, played by Vincent D'Onfrio seems to have a little to no parenting skills and while it makes an interesting character, it's a bit discomforting to be at peace with a character like that actually possibly existing.
The biggest Indie flaw is that there seems to be no thematic direction in the film. The ideas in the film are broad and precisely what the writer and even director are commenting on is too hard to pinpoint and the story unfolds. There is the thumbsucking habit, but there is also drug issues, fidelity, etc. It's not that there is no message, it simply takes more work to decode--the plot does not suggest to the viewer what things should be considered thematically. It takes some serious thinking to link all the many happenings in the film together.
There are some really great moments and characters going on in "Thumbsucker," but as a whole there doesn't seem to be a specific motion to the film and it loses some of the charm that many family-centered indies often provide.
"Thumbsucker" pulls together a cast that is no doubt impressive. There's everyone from mainstream actors like Vince Vaughn and Keanu Reeves to not as marquee but respected talents like Tilda Swinton and Benjamin Bratt. Most of the characters are very original and interesting which seems to either result in great success or a lapse in identification with the story. For example, the father, played by Vincent D'Onfrio seems to have a little to no parenting skills and while it makes an interesting character, it's a bit discomforting to be at peace with a character like that actually possibly existing.
The biggest Indie flaw is that there seems to be no thematic direction in the film. The ideas in the film are broad and precisely what the writer and even director are commenting on is too hard to pinpoint and the story unfolds. There is the thumbsucking habit, but there is also drug issues, fidelity, etc. It's not that there is no message, it simply takes more work to decode--the plot does not suggest to the viewer what things should be considered thematically. It takes some serious thinking to link all the many happenings in the film together.
There are some really great moments and characters going on in "Thumbsucker," but as a whole there doesn't seem to be a specific motion to the film and it loses some of the charm that many family-centered indies often provide.