Thumbsucker

A gently stirring symphony about emotional transition filled with lovely musical passages and softly nuanced performances.
-Desson Thomson, Washington Post
[A] Quiet, quirky gem.
-Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Pucci is an actor to watch: He rides this spellbinder without softening the truths that plague the thumbsucker in all of us.
-Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Synopsis

It’s not easy growing up, no matter what age you are... Justin Cobb (LOU PUCCI) still sucks his thumb at 17. He wants to stop and knows that his thumbsucking is disrupting his family, his love life and his identity. The only thing that changes his behavior is hypnosis therapy administered by his "guru" orthodontist. But while Justin felt this would solve all his problems and he would finally be "normal," his troubles were really just beginning. Thumbsucking was only a symptom of a deep-seated fear: that he and his father aren’t good enough for his mother, and that she would leave them. Thumbsucking was the only way to soothe this fear. Once that is gone Justin spirals into manic behavior, is diagnosed with ADHD and put on Ritalin, which becomes a substitute for his thumb. When the high of the prescription drugs and a newfound success at school crash, Justin turns to pot and sex to replace his thumb.

Theatrical Release Date

Friday, October 07, 2005
Original Languages: English
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Running Time: 97 min.
Year: 2005

CREDITS

CAST
Benjamin Bratt
Keanu Reeves
Lou Taylor Pucci
Tilda Swinton
Vince Vaughn
Vincent D'Onofrio
DIRECTED BY
Mike Mills

PHOTOS