Igby Goes Down (2002)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Burr Steers

Writer (WGA):

Burr Steers (written by)

Release Date:

1 May 2003 (Austria)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Insanity is relative

Plot:

A young man's peculiar upbringing renders him unable to competently cope with the struggle of growing up.

Plot Keywords:

Manhattan | Performance Artist | Mistress | Godfather | Prep School

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 7 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Kieran Culkin	...	Igby
Claire Danes	...	Sookie
Jeff Goldblum	...	D.H.
Jared Harris	...	Russel
Amanda Peet	...	Rachel
Ryan Phillippe	...	Oliver
Bill Pullman	...	Jason
Susan Sarandon	...	Mimi Slocumb
Rory Culkin	...	10-Year-Old Igby
Peter Anthony Tambakis	...	13-Year-Old Oliver (as Peter Tambakis)
Bill Irwin	...	Lt. Smith
Kathleen Gati	...	Ida
Gannon Forrester	...	Little Cadet
Celia Weston	...	Bunny
Elizabeth Jagger	...	Lisa Fiedler

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality and drug content.

Runtime:

98 min | Argentina:99 min (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Portugal:M/16 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:14A | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

Kieran Culkin was actually drinking white grape juice at the Hampton's party.

Goofs:

Continuity: Rachel takes Igby's glass away after he spits back the sip he has just taken. In the next shot Igby is holding the glass, but the cigarette has gone.

Quotes:

D.H. Banes: I believe, umm, that certain people in life are meant to fall by the wayside; to serve as warnings to the rest of us; signs posts along the way.
Igby: To where?
D.H. Banes: Success.
Oliver: Our father would be a 'slippery when schizophrenic' sign, for instance...
[pause]
Oliver: ... along the highway of life.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Everybody's Stalking

Coming of age for the new millenum.

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!