Thumbsucker (2005)

Directed by: Mike Mills | 93 minutes | drama, comedy | Actors: Lou Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Keanu Reeves, Benjamin Bratt, Kelli Garner, Vince Vaughn, Chase Offerle, Dakota Goldhor, Walter Kirn, Kit Koenig

Mike Mills is a director who, like David Fincher, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry and Jonathan Glazer, has made a successful transition from directing video clips to feature films. Beautifully supported by the music of The Polyphonic Spree, ‘Thumbsucker’ is a beautiful film, which unfortunately has its name against it, because the title will evoke all kinds of associations.

The thumb sucker is Justin Cobb, an insecure teenager, who hides behind his grunge haircut and comforts himself with his thumb in difficult moments. A phase that most of his peers have completed for more than ten years. It’s not easy for Justin, with a failed professional athlete for a father (a wonderful role by Vincent D’Onofrio), a sweet but absent mother (an equally brilliant Tilda Swinton) and a festering brother, who prefers to point out Justin’s mistakes. and claims that he just got back to normal to keep things in balance.

Still, you can’t speak of a bad childhood, Justin is only surrounded by adults who don’t really deserve that predicate. He calls his parents Mike and Audrey, at the request of his father, because he feels so old when they are called Mom and Dad. That’s not the only problem Mike struggles with: he also hates his loss and can’t stand it when people are better than him, even if that person is his own son. Mike storms into Justin’s bedroom every now and then to check if his thumbs are moist, and as the ultimate drug of detox, he writes his initials on his son’s thumbs in marker.

Audrey has a teenage crush on an actor, Matt Schramm (nice cameo from Benjamin Bratt). When she gets a promotion at work, she ends up working in a rehab clinic where many celebrities also check in to get rid of their addiction. Justin suspects that the newly admitted Schram is one of the reasons and has doubts about his mother’s fidelity. Meanwhile, Justin is in love with the attractive Rebecca (Kelli Garner), who transforms from environmental activist to sensual vamp throughout the film. Completely against everyone’s expectations, things seem to become something between the two teenagers, until the moment comes when Rebecca demands full disclosure from Justin. Then there’s New Age orthodontist Perry (Keanu Reeves) who treats Justin for the effects of his thumb sucking. In a pivotal scene, he helps Justin overcome his addiction under hypnosis and the consequences are obvious. It is a very nice role from Reeves who shows here that he can act. The supporting role of Vince Vaughn is also more than entertaining, he is a teacher and leader of the debate club. His character navigates between creepy and too eager to pleaseToo bad it doesn’t get more screen time.

When Justin stops sucking his thumb, he soon notices that he is changing. The influence of the drugs he is taking against the ADHD he has just been diagnosed with is enormous. He is alert, observant, self-assured and becomes the star of the debate club. But also, as Vince Vaughn’s character says, “a monster”. The latter is not that bad, so we continue to feel sorry for Justin when he has his first sexual experiences, because the way this happens – despite being with the girl of his dreams – is not the most desirable method. We are also genuinely happy when it turns out that he is admitted to the University in New York, and with the roguish ending of the film, everyone is left with a good feeling about this promising debut by Mike Mills.