Igby Goes Down

Spoiler Alert!

How does Igby manage to seem pretty well adjusted and resilient at the end of all the abuse and family dysfunction? His (not biological we discover) father ends up in a psychiatric hospital. His mother, Mimi, dislikes him, not entirely without provocation by Igby, and rarely misses an opportunity to compare him unfavorably to his overachieving brother or put him down in other ways.

Mimi has Igby and Oliver euthanize her with "poison" in ice cream, but because of the tolerance she has developed with her drug abuse ("I've been popping Seconal." (1:19)) Oliver must place a plastic bag over her head (0:01, ~1:25) to finish the job.

Igby and two other boys smoke marijuana joints. (0:09)

Igby in a psychotherapy session: He describes how another boy killed himself by jumping (0:16). The psychotherapist hits Igby (0:17).

A physician confronts Mimi about her drug use ("Valium and sleeping pills") while she lies in her hospital bed. She says, "I need my little peppies." and she is told, "You pop speed like candy." (0:18)

Sexual Abuse of Child? Rachel and Igby (0:34); Sookie and Igby.

Sookie rolls a joint, discusses her technique with Igby, smokes. (0:37)

Physical Abuse of Child? Rachel beats Igby (0:43); D. H. (Igby's biological father) beats Igby (1:05).

Rachel overdoses, Igby finds her. (1:03)

Russell smokes a joint, holding it with a hemostat. (1:16)

Igby visits his (not biological) father in a psychiatric hospital. (1:35)

Bereavement | cannabis | joint | overdose | Physical Abuse of Child | psychiatric hospital | psychotherapist | psychotherapy | secobarbital | Sexual Abuse of Child | suicide | tolerance