Wackness Director Jonathan Levine Keeping Busy

Jonathan Levine, whose upcoming comedy-drama “The Wackness” features an infamous kiss between Ben Kingsley and Mary-Kate Olsen, has set up two new projects.

He will write and direct “Positive,” a romantic thriller set on Martha’s Vineyard. He’s also penning the screenplay for “Echelon Vendetta,” an espionage thriller based on David Stone’s novel; the project has been set up at Sony.

“Positive” centers on a twentysomething who takes a trip to visit his fiancee’s family off the coast of Massachusetts only to be seduced by her younger sister. The indie film is aiming for a mid-2009 start date.

“Vendetta” centers on a “cleaner,” a CIA operative in charge of keeping dirty laundry from being aired in public, who after the death of a friend begins to investigate the mysterious deaths of several agents.

Levine has concentrated on indie projects, but said he’d like to strike a balance between studio and indie gigs. “I want to have a lot of the creative freedom that comes from (indie films), but I also don’t want to be broke,” he joked.

“Wackness,” which Sony Pictures Classics opens this weekend, examines a teenager coming of age in New York circa 1994. It scored audience awards at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and at the recent Los Angeles Film Festival. [via Hollywood Reporter]

“The Wackness” Trailer #2 and Movie Photos

A brand new trailer for the upcoming Ben Kingsley film “The Wackness” has been released.

It’s the summer of 1994, and the streets of New York are pulsing with hip hop and wafting with the aroma of marijuana. The newly-inaugurated mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, is only beginning to implement his initiatives against crimes such as noisy portable radio, graffiti and public drunkenness.

“The Wackness” centers upon a troubled high school student named Luke Shapiro (Josh Peck)-a teenage marijuana dealer who forms a friendship with Dr. Jeffrey Squires (Ben Kingsley), a psychiatrist and kindred lost soul. When the doctor proposes Luke trade him marijuana for therapy sessions, the two begin to explore both New York City and their own depression.

“The Wackness” is written and directed by Jonathan Levine, who is also the man behind “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.” His new movie has already appeared at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. You can catch it in theaters on July 3rd, in limited release.

Watch the trailer after jump Read the rest of this entry

First Trailer For Ben Kingsley’s ‘The Wackness’

The trailer for the upcoming Ben Kingsley film “The Wackness” has been released, featuring a few scenes of Mary Kate Olsen and Famke Jenssen.Set in New York in summer 1994, the greatest year in hip-hop, the story revolves around a troubled teenage drug dealer (Josh Peck) who trades pot for therapy sessions with a drug-addled psychiatrist (Kingsley) intent on living his life to the fullest.

“The Wackness” is written and directed by Jonathan Levine, who is also the man behind “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane.” His new movie has already appeared at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

You can catch it in theaters on July 3rd, in limited release.