With a mom in and out of rehab and a father who patronizes massage parlors, emotionally stunted Clark Raymond attempts to abandon his dysfunctional family for one that’s more suited to his aspirations in this irreverent comedy.
Precocious and startlingly blunt Clark Raymond (newcomer Ben Konigsberg) joins the cinematic likes of Rushmore’s Max Fischer as a socially inept, yet oddly charming teen whose ambition to be perceived as an intellectual hinders his ability to connect with those of his own age. Following a car crash caused by his depressive mother and a fall-out with his father, Clark seeks comfort in the company of his not-quite girlfriend Etta (Moonrise Kingdom’s Kara Hayward). His prying into Etta’s parents’ divorce leaves her cold and Clark no longer with a love interest. But a chance ride home with a compassionate schoolmate offers Clark an opportunity to enter the home of another family whose transatlantic-traveling, novel-writing fit the bill for his ideal family. Konigsberg’s complicated, revelatory character is complimented by standout performances by Mira Sorvino and Kieran Culkin in this unique, oddball family drama-comedy in the debut feature film from writer-director Noah Pritzker.
DIRECTOR: Noah Pritzker CAST: Benjamin Konigsberg, Mira Sorivno, Greg Germann, Kara Hayward, Kieran Culkin, Morgan Turner, Saffron Burrows, Scott Lawrence LANGUAGE: English COUNTRY: USA YEAR: 2014 LENGTH: 95 min
