There’s a movie coming to DVD and Blu-ray that you’re going to have mad love for shorty, and that’s on the real. On January 6th travel back to the summer of 1994 in New York City and hang out with Luke as he peddles around a cart full of fresh and delicious ices. Ices, huh?
The Wackness follows a summer in the life of a lonely teenager named Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck). You’d think a kid bringing in loads of cash selling pot would be on top of the world. The problem is his family is about to be evicted, he’s still a virgin and his only friend is a kooky shrink (Ben Kingsley) that buys his drugs. Things start looking up for Luke after he starts a relationship with his shrink’s stepdaughter, Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby). A dreary summer of selling pot turns into an enlightening time for Luke during which, he realizes life is actually pretty dope.
Bonus material includes deleted scenes, “Keeping it Real: A Day in the Life of Writer/Director Jonathan Levine,” “Time in a Bottle: Behind the Scenes of The Wackness,” “The Luke Shapiro Show Episode 1” and commentary with the director and Josh Peck. I’m particularly excited for the bonus material on this disc. One of the best parts of this film is picking out all of the little intricacies from the 90’s. From the clothing to the emergence of hip-hop, there’s a lot of nostalgia in this film that deserves some extra attention. “The Luke Shapiro Show” should have potential. Before The Wackness, the only credible item on Peck’s resume was Mean Creek. Sorry, I am just way past my Nickelodeon days. It’ll be interesting to see what paths he takes post-kiddie show.
Luke Shapiro may just see the wackness in everything, but I see the dopeness in this film.
