Igby Goes Down

Review by Clint Morris

Macauley Culkin was the biggest child star in Hollywood in the early 1990's.

His films - notably Home Alone - had grossed more money than ten upper scale mortgages, and his name was being branded as the next big thing in Tinseltown.

All of a sudden he was touted as the new Luke Skywalker, Julia Roberts next co-star and a child leader of anything appearing before a lens.

But as quick as it all happened for young Mac, it just as quickly all went away. A bitter fight with his parents (money naturally) and an imminent case of puberty hit the previously cute youngster, and all too quickly he was removed from casting director wish lists.

And that's where he's been for the past ten years.

But what about Kieran Culkin? We'll that's a different story altogether. Kieran rode on the coattails of Mac for a while there, popping up in a couple of his flicks, before winning miniscule roles of his own.

Then his offers started to get better and better, and before he knew it, Kieran had been presented the acting career his typecast brother so dearly wanted. Call it some smart decisions on Kieran's behalf, or call it luck - it's just funny the way things work out.

In Igby Goes Down, Culkin plays a rebellious young chap, who - much to the despite of his over-bearing mother (Sarandon) - gets kicked out of each and every school he attends, and purposely displays his chipped shoulder whenever said parent enter his space.

After flunking out of yet another prep school, Igby is sent to a Midwest military school, but naturally he's not going to sit down and listen here either.

From there he lands in New York, where he secretly hides out at his covetous godfather's (Jeff Goldblum) weekend leave and hangs out with a deviant cast of characters including his godfather's secret lover (Amanda Peet), the terminally cynical Sookie Sapperstein (Claire Danes), and the rogue artist Russel (Jared Harris).

It all begins to start crumbling down around him yet again, but this time young Igby's determined not to let it overtake him.

A very black comedy with some exuberant performances and a standout one from Culkin, Igby is unlike any films you've seen in the last couple of years. That's not to say it's the best flick of the period, just delightfully different. Its combination of character study and ensemble comedy works especially well.

If Kieran's big brother had had someone to help him choose his roles more carefully, maybe things might have worked out differently for both. But then again, with Mac still in the picture we mightn't have discovered the capable crafting of Kieran Culkin?

With a sweet sounding soundtrack of classic vinyl guiding the lead characters way, Igby Goes Down is also one of the most easily endurable offerings of late.

3.5 out of 5

Igby Goes Down
Australian release: Thursday June 5th
Cast: Kieran Culkin, Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum, Jared Harris, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, Bill Pullman, Susan Sarandon.
Director: Burr Steers.
Website: Click here

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