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"Whuhht?...naaah"
Answer the following after watching this trailer for The Wackness (Sony Classics, 7.3). Josh Peck obviously does well at playing young urban white guys who talk in a street argot that is part imitation "black" and part whatevuh but in any case suggests a total inability to convey an air of refinement and higher education. But answer me this...
Is there any circumstance in which any casting director, no matter how whacked, would use this guy to play a small-town cop in Oregon, an assistant to a U.S. Senator, a young suburban dad, a used-car salesmen from Cranford, New Jersey, or anything other than a what-up homie who sells tabs of ecstasy and dilaudid in Tompkins Square Park?
In other words, Josh Peck is basically Leo Gorcey. Nothing wrong with that, exactly, except that he has one trick and one rap and thassall.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 22, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Posted by Matthew Lucas ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 22, 2008 03:59 PM
comment #2
Rothchild says ...
He sold weed. All your anti-Wackness articles just make you seem like a cranky old guy.
Posted by Rothchild at April 22, 2008 04:00 PM
comment #3
MikeSchaeferSF says ...
He's an actor. Maybe he's, y'know... acting?
Posted by MikeSchaeferSF at April 22, 2008 04:04 PM
comment #4
D.Z. says ...
Jeff: "Josh Peck obviously does well at playing young urban white guys who talk in a street argot that is part black and part street attitude"
They're called wiggers. (Or so I've heard...) Anyway, no one was playin' cassettes by '94, and this just basically looks like a remake of "Kids", if they changed it into a comedy. [Though some might consider the original unintentionally hilarious...]
Posted by D.Z. at April 22, 2008 04:08 PM
comment #5
Mgmax says ...
I would only want to see this if twenty minutes into it, a giant sea creature started trashing New York.
Posted by Mgmax at April 22, 2008 04:12 PM
comment #6
Geoff says ...
Plenty of people were playing cassettes in '94. Especially in their cars.
Posted by Geoff at April 22, 2008 04:12 PM
comment #7
Mgmax says ...
Yeah, I disagree, mix tapes were still a big thing. I didn't get a CD burner until at least '97 (I can remember the job I was at then), and it was fairly novel still to have one at home then (buy Iomega stock, everybody's using those Zip drives!)
Posted by Mgmax at April 22, 2008 04:16 PM
comment #8
lazarus says ...
Thirlby Be Blood.
Posted by lazarus at April 22, 2008 04:16 PM
comment #9
lazarus says ...
Oh wait, the GUY is the virgin.
Never mind.
Posted by lazarus at April 22, 2008 04:16 PM
comment #10
gruver1 says ...
Wells to Mike SchaeferSF: This is precisely my point. Not only is Peck not acting -- he's doing what he's able to do, which is play a type or an attitude that he knows from his own life -- but he's also, I believe, pretty much incapable of playing anyone else (i.e., "a small-town cop in Oregon, an assistant to a U.S. Senator, a young suburban dad, a used-car salesmen from Cranford, New Jersey," etc.). Leo Gorcey was great at playing Leo Gorcey, but he had to stay within that place. He couldn't play anyone or anything else. That's Peck.
Posted by gruver1 at April 22, 2008 04:18 PM
comment #11
Matthew Lucas says ...
Jeff, have you seen him in the role that made him famous, in Disney Channel's "Drake & Josh?" He is nothing like the characters he has been typecast as lately in that show, in fact he's a manic comic character and I was shocked when I first saw him on the big screen in "Mean Creek." Totally opposite, ditto his role in "Drillbit Taylor." Right now he's getting typecast in those type of roles, but he's got a range I think that hasn't really been explored yet He has very good comic timing.
Posted by Matthew Lucas at April 22, 2008 04:28 PM
comment #12
MiraJeffAICN says ...
The Wackness is great and Peck is very, very good in it. Since D.Z. brought up Kids, you know whose career Peck's could emulate... Leo Fitzpatrick, who went on to Bully, The Wire and a solid performance in an episode of Criminal Intent. I think you should give Peck the benefit of the doubt. He's virtually unrecognizable from the bully he played in Mean Creek.
Posted by MiraJeffAICN at April 22, 2008 04:29 PM
comment #13
Hallick says ...
I've got nothing to say about Peck's talent, other than I'm more likely to take the word of the people who've seen him in Mean Creek and other things than the word of someone who's only reference seems to be THE DULLEST TRAILER OF 2008. The Wackness might be really good, but there is ZERO-POINT-ZERO-ZERO-ZERO trace of that in the trailer. What the hell are they trying their damnedest not to sell here? There really wasn't even enough dialogue from Peck's character to address the original question from Mr. Wells in the first place.
Posted by Hallick at April 22, 2008 04:53 PM
comment #14
York "Budd" Durden says ...
I'm familiar with mirajeff. I met him on not-wealthy-internet-dork-dot-com. It has worked out well between us.
Posted by York "Budd" Durden at April 22, 2008 05:10 PM
comment #15
lazarus says ...
So THAT'S why he takes two showers a day.
Posted by lazarus at April 22, 2008 05:15 PM
comment #16
storymark says ...
Sure, I could see him playing other roles, if he drops the affectation.
If you'd said Jason Mewes, you'd have more of a point.
Posted by storymark at April 22, 2008 05:17 PM
comment #17
T. S. Idiot says ...
Jeff's Leo Gorcey reference makes me realize how much I miss Huntz Hall.
Posted by T. S. Idiot at April 22, 2008 05:19 PM
comment #18
lipranzer says ...
I was considering this until I saw Mary-Kate Olsen's name in the credits. Now I'm not going near it.
Posted by lipranzer at April 22, 2008 05:45 PM
comment #19
MiraJeffAICN says ...
Lipranzer, Mary-Kate is in it for 5-10 minutes tops. Lazarus, you're hilarious. I'll call Jamie and get you a gig at the Laugh Factory this weekend. York 'Budd' Durden, even more hilarious. Are you guys aspiring comedy writers cuz I could set you up with a desperate agent if you want? Not Wealthy Internet Dork? Really, that's the best you can do? Better luck next time, fellas. Way to add to the discussion. You know where I work, so why don't you come on down here and start some shit. I could permanently delete you with the office supplies at my disposal.
Posted by MiraJeffAICN at April 22, 2008 05:58 PM
comment #20
BurmaShave says ...
Or maybe he's Al Pacino circa 1971. Also my dad grew up in Cranford.
Posted by BurmaShave at April 22, 2008 06:01 PM
comment #21
lazarus says ...
MiraJeff, why should Bud or I come down to your office, when we'll all probably run into each other coincidentally, like in that film you love so much, Crash? We'll fight but after my magic sweater deflects your staple-gun projectile we'll realize that we shouldn't pre-judge each other and then everything will be okay.
Cue "healing" song with female vocal.
Posted by lazarus at April 22, 2008 07:34 PM
comment #22
Mgmax says ...
There are few things funnier here than when MiraJeff starts playing tough guy. Sorry, man, you're Elisha Cook Jr. all the way. Accept it.
Posted by Mgmax at April 22, 2008 08:53 PM
comment #23
MiraJeffAICN says ...
Mgmax, anyone who makes a reference to Elisha Cook Jr. must be at least 50 years old, and thus, no retort is necessary. Lazarus, as you keep beating the dead horse, Haggis is polishing his well-deserved Crash Oscar and Yari is filing yet another suit to get one. Crash rulz! And you guys all suck. I can find hundreds of positive Crash reviews and thousands of Academy members who voted it BP. Give it a rest. You're wrong. Move on.
Posted by MiraJeffAICN at April 22, 2008 08:59 PM
comment #24
MiraJeffAICN says ...
And the reason I popped in to say hello in the first place wasn't to extol the virtues of Crash again, it was to point out that The Wackness is the 2nd best film I've seen all year behind Pineapple Express, and I've probably seen more of this year's offerings than any of you. And again, remember me when Kingsley gets Best Supporting Actor props, whether it's from the Academy, the Globes, or even just trade ads. He's not going anywhere and neither is the movie despite the piss-poor trailer.
Posted by MiraJeffAICN at April 22, 2008 09:02 PM
comment #25
lipranzer says ...
"Lipranzer, Mary-Kate is in it for 5-10 minutes tops."
And that's 5-10 mintues too many for me. You're telling me there's no actor/actress whose very appearance in a film is a red flag for you?
Posted by lipranzer at April 22, 2008 09:16 PM
comment #26
Mgmax says ...
"Mgmax, anyone who makes a reference to Elisha Cook Jr. must be at least 50 years old, and thus, no retort is necessary."
Or simply knowledgable about the movies. Why I'll never write for AICN.
"I can find hundreds of positive Crash reviews and thousands of Academy members who voted it BP. Give it a rest. You're wrong. Move on."
Shall I see if I can find a positive mention or two of 2001: A Space Odyssey?
"it was to point out that The Wackness is the 2nd best film I've seen all year behind Pineapple Express"
If the two best movies you've seen this year are about people of your exact same demographic, it may not say as much about the movies as you think.
Now to go watch my new Criterion set of silent Ozu comedies.
Posted by Mgmax at April 22, 2008 09:55 PM
comment #27
lazarus says ...
Mgmax, that last post smelled like D.Z. Maybe you need to take two showers.
MiraJeff, the best thing to have done was laugh off my Crash joke, but by combining your witty retort with a serious defensive attitude regarding the film (and attempting to use the Oscars as a barometer of quality) you're just making yourself look even more pathetic.
Lipranzer, I don't think the restraining order prevents you from seeing any of her films. Just try and keep your hands still during the screening and wait until you get home.
Posted by lazarus at April 22, 2008 10:00 PM
comment #28
T. S. Idiot says ...
"Mgmax, anyone who makes a reference to Elisha Cook Jr. must be at least 50 years old, and thus, no retort is necessary." You assholes who write off those over 50 never plan to be geezers? If so, the world will be a better place.
Posted by T. S. Idiot at April 23, 2008 04:51 AM
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