Opening 5 Oct 2006
Directed by:
Mike Mills
Writing credits:
Walter Kirn, Mike Mills
Principal actors:
Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D\'Onofrio, Keanu Reeves, Bejamin Bratt
Lou Taylor Pucci received the Best Actor award for his performance in Thumbsucker at the 2005 Berlinale. This is about a seventeen-year-old boy who continued to suck his thumb when he would encounter undue stress or trauma. This film is a journey about breaking this habit that is so unbecoming of a person his age and intelligence. The difficulty is that the problem was symptomatic of deeper issues: his self-image and pressures of a stressed-out family. To observe the non-verbal communication style in this family made me uncomfortable and I could not help but wonder if this is often a cause of undue stress in many relationships. Lou brought out his character an amazing sensitivity and timing using his facial expressions that were absolutely priceless in expressing emotions. Lou began his career on stage at the age of ten and then auditioned for Sound of Music on Broadway at 15, which led to the feature film Personal Velocity and now Thumbsucker. Yet, most of his acting experience has come from theater. Director Mike Mills was thrilled to cast him because of his natural vulnerability and ability not to wear a mask. (Karen Pecota)
