Igby

I found this to be a second-rate rehash of Rushmore. Second-rate movies being almost as good as first-rate, that means this is a pretty good film. Just not as good as Rushmore.

I am not sure why they require a minimum of 10 lines in each comment, but the above three lines encapsulate all I have to say about Igby Goes Down, and the rest of this is just filler. I apologise, but then again I didn't make up the 10 line rule. I'm not sure if the blank lines between paragraphs count (probably not), but at this point I'm only up to 9 lines. Just a few more words of blather and I'll be good to go. Is this far enough? We'll see...

This film was amazing. The acting, the characters, the plot and the visual story were all so refined. This was a film that defines the new adage 'Quiet is the new loud' and sets a new standard for coming of age films. Much like The Royal Tenenbaums, this film was full of a dysfunctional family that although unlike anything in most viewers' experience, was real and honest and touched a part of all of us. Also like the aforementioned film, this movie's soundtrack was so well picked and so well executed, I was overwhelmed.

Burr Steers, a first time screenwriter and director? Is he perhaps channeling his uncle, Gore Vidal, to write and direct this amazing tale? I can't wait to see more from him. Kieran Culkin is equally as promising. He acted the part with such a surreal mix of sullen intelligence, backwards bravery and touching empathy that Igby came to life the moment he hit the screen. Jeff Goldblum and Susan Sarandon were also perfectly cast and were outstanding... I can't mention each of them as there was too much to gush about.

I highly recommend that you run out and see this, but bring a tissue and plan to go celebrate the irony of life and all it's imperfections after you go!

Igby caught me by surprise; I hadn't heard much of the film before seeing it and rented it on a hunch. What a beautiful, weird, sad, funny coming-of-age story and what a cast. The performances throughout are amazing. I absolutely adore this film. 8 stars out of 10

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495

I had to drive to effin Antwerp, Belgium to see this movie, because it was taken out of Dutch cinemas after running just for one week. And that is something that I don't understand, or maybe I do, because this is not the typical Hollywood feel-good movie. The story could have been based on a early nineties novel by Jay McInerney or Bret Easton Ellis, but it is an original screenplay by writer and director Burr Steers. The mood is very dark, the acting is top shelf and the oneliners are sharp as razorblades. Kieran Culkin and Ryan Philippe are perfectly (type)casted and the choice of music is plain wonderful. The scene where Igby runs off through Central Park accompanied by Coldplay's Don't Panic is close to perfection. I enjoyed this movie very much and I think it paints a very accurate picture of the lives of spoiled, rich kids. Go see it!

I'm very pleased to see other reviewers comparing Kieran Culkin's character Jason/Igby to The Catcher in the Rye's Holden Caulfield - while watching the film I was thinking the same thing, much to writer/director Burr Steers' credit. This is THE Social Commentary movie I have been waiting to see for a long time now - fearless, witty, arch, poignant without being sentimental, and, best of all, the characters are not one-dimensional, they all live and breathe and we feel the agony they are suffering behind their socially privileged masks.

Culkin is especially brilliant (and so sad, with his Harry Potter scarf - a young wizard without any magic), but everyone shines here - Sarandon, Pullman, Danes, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, Jeff "how-can-I-be-any-creepier" Goldblum, and of course Jared Harris, who positively reeks eccentricity without even having to open his mouth (but when he does, it's always good too). A fine first film from a director/writer who definitely bears watching.