Thumbsucker is about a boy who sucks his thumb. 

Not entirely.  It is a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance that begins after he is cured of the unholy habit.  Based on Walter Kirn’s book of the same name, the Mike Mills’ Sundance winner earns its star Lou Pucci a Special Jury Prize for Acting. 

As the thumbsucking protagonist Justin Cobb, Pucci is affecting in the range of emotions he brings out of the awkward kid with a lack of focus and direction whose behavior frustrates everyone around him.  The emotions are as raw as they are strong.  He gains confidence with every success in a debate, is grieved by his school crush’s casual feeling, vents at his dad for being an insensitive toughie, and sports a wary tone towards his mother out of worry that she may leave the family. 

After being hypnotized out of the habit by his New Age orthodontist, Justin fills the void left by it with manic behavior subsequently diagnosed as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), then with Ritalin to combat ADHD combined with the high of success as a debate champion, and finally with a cocktail of pot and kinky sexual activities.  He even takes his debating skills beyond the competition and into his personal life, taking to task his mother the nurse for being assigned to care for celebrities who become drug addicts, his father for not being honest about his feelings, and his debate coach for his insecurities.

Justin’s family is typically dysfunctional, their flaws purposely highlighted to reinforce his identity.  His father Mike (Vincent D'Onofrio) hides his fears and disappointments of a football career that could have been (thanks to his knee injury) with a tough exterior, or an attempt at one.  He insists on first-name address to family formality so as to not feel old by being called ‘dad’ or Audrey being called ‘mom’.  D'Onofrio seems to be channeling his Detective Goren character from Law & Order: Criminal Intent into Mike.

Tilda Swinton is a pleasure to watch of late.  Sexually androgynous as Gabriel in Constantine, seething with bitterness as a jilted lover in Broken Flowers, she is entrancing as Justin’s mother Audrey struggling with mid-life crisis and self-doubt.  On the job, Audrey has unfettered access to her favorite TV star Matt Schraam (Benjamin Bratt) who is admitted for being a junkie.  Bratt, in his almost cameo-length role as Schraam, provides some humorous moments even as his character’s personal revelations stir Audrey and Justin into a greater understanding about themselves and each other. 

Thumbsucker is a film paced almost entirely by editing.  Smooth, unobtrusive and very controlled, it lends to a brisk narrating of the debate rounds, and switches fluidly between Justin’s dream world and reality.  The scene of Justin’s parents reacting to his acceptance at NYU is, like the montage sequence in The Graduate, a polished, seamless masterstroke.  Two separate expressions on separate occasions arranged (edited) as if happening in one scene at the same time is not only an artistic brilliance but also to show a unique moment of togetherness for Mike and Audrey, both of whom have been growing emotionally distant from each other.

The film does bog down during the dialogue between Justin and his orthodontist Dr. Perry Lyman.  The self-acceptance statement does come out but not before a lengthy, preachy treatise preceding it.

Justin’s world also includes his little brother Joel (Chase Offerle) who despite his young age and embarrassment towards his brother proves to be the level-headed voice of reason, his outwardly cool but inwardly insecure school crush Rebecca (Kelli Garner), and debate coach Mr. Geary (Vince Vaughn) whose somewhat dominating behavior masks inner insecurities.  Let’s not forget Keanu Reeves’ hippie-esque New Age orthodontist Dr. Perry Lyman.  Though possessing the looks and sound for it, he stands out like a sore thumb.