Arn’s review published on Letterboxd:
#52 of the December Project 2
I have a complex ambivalence toward Igby Goes Down. For starters it epitomises the kind of quirky Indy comedy that I can't stand under normal circumstances. And yet...it's not a comedy at all, which is why I kinda like it. Despite it being too kooky for it's own good in the opening half, the second half fleshes characters out and stops them from being caricatures. Like Igby's brother Ollie who comes across as a preppy jackass, complete with ridiculous rich-man accent, until we start to delve more into her personality. He's actually a little complicated with his own motivations and relationships.
Above all Igby Goes Down works because of how great everyone is in it. Kieran Culkin obviously gets the meatiest role but all the supporting spots have something about them. Rachel goes from being a fun-loving bohemian to a smackhead and Amanda Peet plays both parts superbly well. Bill Pullman has never been better than here, where he plays a hypochondriac nutter who slowly comes unraveled through flashbacks. I honestly wasn't prepared for how stunning some of the performances were, hampered only by a somewhat lightweight setup. I think the idea was to lull the viewer into a false sense of security before smacking the shit out of you. Just like Jeff Goldblum. Oh, and Susan Sarandon is effortlessly good in this. Quality turns all round.