Thumbsucker (film)

Thumbsucker is a 2005 American independent comedydrama film directed by Mike Mills and adapted from the Walter Kirn novel of the same name. It stars Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent DOnofrio, Kelli Garner, Benjamin Bratt, Vince Vaughn, and Keanu Reeves. The movie focuses on teenager Justin Cobb as he copes with his thumbsucking problem, and on his experiments with hypnosis, sex, and drugs.

Justin struggles on his schools debate team, led by Mr. Geary which he joined to get closer to his environmentalist classmate Rebecca. He tries to start a relationship with her, but she rejects him after he cannot open up to her about his thumbsucking habit.At a regular checkup, Justins orthodontist, Dr. Perry Lyman, indicates he can tell that Justin is still sucking his thumb, and attempts hypnosis, coaching Justin to find his power animal a deer and suggesting that his thumb will taste like echinacea. This works, and Justin finds his thumb distasteful, but falls deeper into frustration without the crutch. After Justin conspires with his brother to disrupt Dr. Lyman in a bicycle race with Justins father, his school counselor prods the Cobbs to give him Ritalin. While his parents wring their hands over the idea, Justin insists that he needs the help. ........

Source: Wikipedia