Thumbsucker (film)
| Thumbsucker | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Mike Mills |
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| Screenplay by | Mike Mills |
| Based on |
Thumbsucker by Walter Kirn |
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| Music by | |
| Cinematography | Joaquin Baca-Asay |
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Production
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| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics |
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Release date
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Running time
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95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million |
| Box office | $1,919,197 |
Thumbsucker is a 2005 American independent comedy-drama film directed by Mike Mills and adapted from the Walter Kirn novel of the same name. It stars Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kelli Garner, Benjamin Bratt, Vince Vaughn, and Keanu Reeves. The movie focuses on teenager Justin Cobb as he copes with his thumb-sucking problem, and on his experiments with hypnosis, sex, and drugs.
Justin Cobb is a shy 17-year-old in a family of four in suburban Oregon. He has a persistent thumb-sucking habit his father disapproves of, which has led to major orthodontic repair. He addresses his parents by their first names, Mike and Audrey, so as not to make his father feel old. Audrey, a registered nurse, is idly fascinated by actor Matt Schramm, entering a contest to win a date with him. She insists it is "innocent fun", but is inordinately concerned with looking attractive for the contest.
Justin struggles on his school's debate team, led by Mr. Geary which he joined to get closer to his environmentalist classmate Rebecca. He tries to start a relationship with her, but she rejects him after he cannot open up to her about his thumb-sucking habit.
At a regular checkup, Justin's orthodontist, Dr. Perry Lyman, indicates he can tell that Justin is still sucking his thumb, and attempts hypnosis, coaching Justin to find his power animal (a deer) and suggesting that his thumb will taste like echinacea. This works, and Justin finds his thumb distasteful, but falls deeper into frustration without the crutch. After Justin conspires with his brother to disrupt Dr. Lyman in a bicycle race with Justin's father, his school counselor prods the Cobbs to give him Ritalin. While his parents wring their hands over the idea, Justin insists that he needs the help.
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