re:mote voices

Title: Igby Goes Down
Cast: Kieran Culkin, Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum, Jared Harris, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, Bill Pullman, Rory Culkin
Director: Burr Steers

igby is a troubled teen, aren't they all? watching his dad's breakdown, and subsequent entry to a mental hospital has left him unhappy with life. he goes from school to school, managing to get expelled in record time. even his time in military school doesn't sort him out. in the context of the film igby has become tired of this broken record routine and run away to new york. there he manages to crash at the studio of his godfather's mistress. between her and a student he meets at one of his godfather's parties he manages to keep himself entertained. but it is something of a down ward spiral from there as he tries to avoid going back to school. igby keeps up an acerbic commentary in his best catcher in the rye style, which most will recognise as being an influence on this piece. there is a definite black humour that comes through in this film which, from the film quality is a low budget outing. though the cast would certainly suggest otherwise - lead roles are taken by kieran caulkin as igby, amanda peet as the godgather's mistress, and claire daines as the student. danes and peet look particularly bad for this piece, both painfully thin, both drug abusers. in terms of the "heavy hitters" we have susan sarandon as igby's mother, jeff goldblum as igby's godfather, ryan phillippe as igby's brother and bill pullman as his father all rounding out the cast. overall igby goes down is a well done piece, humourous and well paced, with caulkin's performance earning him deserved credit.