Igby Goes Down DVD, 2002

Igby has a problem – actually, he’s up to his neck. A young man, trying to find his way in the world. A successful family, in financial terms only, try to guide him towards similar success – his instincts, like every good teenager, are to rebel. Cue scarpering to New York with a borrowed credit card.

An evil mother (expertly played by Susan Sarandon, bravely embracing the role of psychotic aging matriarch), a schizophrenic father (Bill Pullman, long sent away to an institution), an ice-hearted older brother surely only a few steps from American Psycho territory… And an uncle – a true tower of a man, a force of capitalist nature (Jeff Goldblum). This is Igby’s family – his potential role models.

Igby escapes, or is expelled from, various schools and institutions on a regular basis. We catch up with him in a New York summer hanging out with his uncle’s mistress and artist friends. Perhaps these bohemian types can provide some kind of ideal of success for Igby to aspire to and to achieve. Unfortunately, they’re just as incapable as his family – a selection a high & low class junkies and artists, vacuous. His one hope, his new, older girlfriend (Claire Danes) is stolen by his aforementioned brother in an act of impressive betrayal. Where to now? What can we use to measure success? Who can provide a model?

Keiran Culkin’s performance is notably excellent – especially considering the power house acting surrounding him, particularly from Sarandon and Goldblum. Caught somewhere between Catcher in the Rye and The Royal Tennenbaums this is a blackly funny and rewarding film, unusual in the questions it asks and ultimately goes someway to answer.

Dan Hunter on 21st October 2003
View all 38 of Dan Hunter's reviews