Cast: Kieran Culkin, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Goldblum, Claire Danes, Ryan Phillippe, Bill Pullman, Amanda Peet, Jared Harris
Director: Burr Steers
Producers: Lisa Tornell, Marco Weber
Screenplay: Burr Steers
Cinematography: Wedigo von Schultzendorff
Music: Uwe Fahrenkrog Petersen
U.S. Distributor: United Artists
Based on second-hand experience, it seems to me that the coming-of-age film is among the easiest kind of movie to do badly, but one of the hardest to do well. Too many pictures in this genre have a bland, overcooked feel, as if the memories that comprise the story have been filtered through a series of fine strainers to remove all the impurities. With Igby Goes Down, writer/director Burr Steers has fashioned a solid (although not classic) coming-of-age tale by following one simply rule: reject nostalgia in favor of irreverence. Thus, we are presented with a gallery of off-centered characters with a skewed view of the world. The screenplay is edgy and witty, and offers its share of laugh-aloud moments. Steers' intention isn't to reflect reality (that can be left to Truffaut's The 400 Blows), but to give us some "real" moments amidst the absurdities of the characters' lives. It's like a less extreme version of Ghost World or Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (which, like Igby Goes Down, stars Kieran Culkin).
Igby (Culkin) hasn't had the greatest childhood. His father, Jason (Bill Pullman), is in a mental institution after suffering a breakdown while Igby was in grade school. His pill-popping mother, Mimi (Susan Sarandon) is cold, unfeeling, and more concerned about how Igby's frequent failures will reflect upon her reputation. His young Republican brother, Oliver (Ryan Phillippe), appears embarrassed to be related to his undisciplined sibling. The only one Igby can rely upon is his open-minded, wealthy godfather, D.H. Baines (Jeff Goldblum), who views Igby's upbringing as his personal charity.
Igby fails at school because of his indifference. He has been expelled from one private institution after another until he finally ends up in military school. He doesn't last there, and ends up in rehab. Soon, he's hanging out in New York, acting like a bohemian. He lives in the same flat as D.H.'s artist mistress, Rachel (Amanda Peet), with whom his relationship quickly evolves from a platonic liaison to a sexual one. He gains an older girlfriend, the improbably-named Sookie Sapperstein (Claire Danes), who stays with Igby until someone better comes along - namely his brother, Oliver. Meanwhile, Igby is hiding out from his detested mother and trying to figure out what to do with his existence. Despite his glib tongue and bravado, he is deeply insecure about the future. His major in life may be attitude, but on more than one occasion, he admits to being scared.
Igby Goes Down is one of those films where the whole is more than a sum of the pieces. There isn't much of a plot - this is basically just a series of episodes that, when strung together, present a patchwork tapestry of whom the main character is and how he got to be that person. With a less deft script, this could have been a thuddingly dull motion picture, but Steers finds the right balance between irony and pathos. Despite some heavy drama, things never become overly somber. As a first-time director, Steers is adequate - where he really shines is as a writer.
By this time, there is little doubt that Kieran Culkin has surpassed his big brother Macaulay in the acting department. (After all, what is Mac known for other than the first two Home Alone movies?) Culkin has refined his craft over the past few years and become an effective thespian. Susan Sarandon is delightfully ditzy as Mimi, while Jeff Goldblum exhibits a sleazy charm as D.H. As for Igby's on-again/off-again partners, Amanda Peet exudes a mixture of desperation and raw sexuality as Rachel, and Claire Danes offers a nice turn as the confused girl who pretends to know more about life than she does. Meanwhile, Ryan Phillippe makes it two films in a row in which he shows ability (the previous one being Gosford Park). Kieran's younger brother, Rory (recently seen in Signs), has a supporting role playing Igby as a pre-teen.
Igby Goes Down ends pretty much where it begins, with the majority of the story being told in flashback. It's an unnecessary device, but since suspense isn't a component of this film-going experience, the structure isn't a significant drawback. For the most part, Igby Goes Down is lightweight, although it exhibits enough heft for us to develop an emotional connection with the main character. I have always appreciated a smartly written motion picture, and, whatever flaws Igby Goes Down may possess, it is undeniably that.
© 2002 James Berardinelli