The World Around Igby

Warren Wagner is like the Charlie Kaufman of 3DMM. This designation comes with the good and bad aspects of Kaufman's writing -- his scripts are clever to the point of being annoying (Igby), and quirky to the point of being self-indulgent (Keeping Tuna), but teeter on the line for the most part rather than crossing it. Is there a point to it all, or are we just supposed to smile at the fact that we're being mindfucked and led around? Like Kaufman, Warren would be the first to acknowledge that even he isn't sure, but keep writing anyway. Which is not a bad thing by any means, because if nothing else, he's a breath of fresh air to contrast the similarly-themed genre movies that make up most of the waves of releases over the past year or two.

Wow, I think I just insulted everybody's writing. To clarify, Igby is well-scripted if a bit unsure of itself, and merely different from most other attempts at blends of drama and comedy, rather than inherently better. Buzvonlurt, fresh off of Pirates (which I enjoyed), mans the helm here and delivers a competent, if uneven piece of work that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. There are times when I was really drawn into what was happening, and just as many times when I was scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on. There are points of the movie when the direction is stellar but the writing is awkward, and vice versa. When both stumble, it really hurts the experience, but when both shine, the work as a whole is validated. This is one of the most ultimately bittersweet experiences I've ever had with a 3DMM film.

Igby, as a main character, seems a little off-center. It wasn't until the second viewing that I think I understood Warren's point behind the title; this is a story about the world around Igby, not Igby himself. Igby makes dollhouses, and he has an abusive father. He maintains friendships, and asks for help, but is mainly focused on his own interests, musing about life and it's oddities, but ultimately rationalizing his actions and experiences rather than questioning them. His life has been bizarre -- he was supposed to be born on the 28th of February, but his parents wanted him born on the 29th so they'd only have to celebrate his birthday every four years, actually holding him inside the womb for two hours during the birthing process so it would work. He has a friend with HIV. The doctors have informed the friend that he only has three white blood cells left, so he names them Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

From the beginning, we're thrust directly into the details of the story, sometimes so forcefully so that the narrative breaks and we have to pick up the pieces. Scenery fluctuates between very sloppy and extremely slick. Buz's direction is rarely less than competent, but the pacing of the film is extremely jumpy. The first sequence of scenes is repeated twice to fill the time required for Tuna's voice acting to deliver Igby's first lines. Suddenly we're inside Igby's house as he digs through his refrigerator. Later, he gets a phone call and is suddenly where he's supposed to be meeting the guy who's calling. It goes by too quickly in many places. It jumps around almost randomly at times. And while some parts of the film raised my eyebrows at how well done they were (the sequence were Igby confronts his father in a nursing home), there were others where it's clear that Buz just wanted to get it done as soon as possible (the confrontation at the end of the movie where Wayland needs his money).

The worst part, overall, is the sound. Not the music, effects, or acting choices -- Buz does a great job as Igby's friend, who I ultimately felt far more sympathy for than Igby himself, and while Tuna sounds forced at times (he almost seems to be yelling in places), he's generally put in some fine work. I LOVE the music; it suits the nature of the shifting, off-center plot beautifully, and I'm tempted to download several of the tracks here. It's the way the sound is handled that annoys me. Tuna's lines are quieter than everyone else's, and in many cases entire lines are cut off before a scene can finish, or drowned out by the music being too loud. I frequently had to adjust the volume, which pulled me out of the movie. Quite a bit of Igby is sloppy, technically; I hate to jump on Buz for this, since he seems to be having trouble with motivation, but a rush job is a rush job, and this could have stood another month of work.

As a whole, the film is rough around the edges and unpolished at random spots throughout. It sinks into mediocrity but soars into brilliance at moments through careful direction and scripting. The framework is unstable, but to break it apart would reveal several very well-made pieces and ideas worth thinking about long after the experience has ended. It's not perfect by any means, but as I said before: Quirky, entertaining, and a nice mix of drama and comedy that keeps you around to see what happens next. A great starting point that shows promise for the writing and directing talents of Warren and Buz respectively. Don't give up, guys.

Critical Score: 72/100.
Personal Score: 75/100.