The first of two coming-of-age teen dramedies on this list - both indies, to boot - The Wackness arrived in 2008 to show off the acting talents of Josh Peck, formerly "the funny fat kid" from Drake and Josh. The unique selling points of The Wackness are its period setting - Manhattan, 1994 - and the relationship between two of its central characters. Luke Shapiro (Peck) plays a pot dealer who trades it with his slightly odd therapist, Dr Squires, (played by Ben Kingsley) for free sessions. Meanwhile, he lives in the vain hope of hooking up with Squires' hot stepdaughter (Olivia Thirlby). The film has a great 90s hip hop soundtrack, and buzzes along with loads of great stylistic flourishes from writer-director Jonathan Levine, whom you'd be forgiven for thinking got his start with music videos judging by his flourishes here. The Wackness fully earned the awards it picked up along the festival circuit, but failed to set the box office alight. As a slice of life in early 90s Manhattan, and a nostalgic trip for anyone who's been a young, horny and confused, The Wackness is a must-see.
Cinephile since 1993, aged 4, when he saw his very first film in the cinema - Jurassic Park - which is also evidence of damn fine parenting. World champion at Six Degrees of Separation. Lender of DVDs to cheap mates. Connoisseur of Marvel Comics and its Cinematic Universe.
