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Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2010: Spencer Susser’s Hesher

This is Susser’s directorial debut, and if we base ourselves on his 2008 short I Love Sarah Jane, we may just have a diamond in the rough. Love the destructive nature of the lead character and look forward in seeing how this film treats the weird rapport between friendship and bullying – which is featured front, right and center in this film.

Eric Lavallée

Published on January 11, 2010

#90. Hesher

Director: Spencer Susser
Writer(s): David Michôd and Susser
Producers: Lucy Cooper, Johnny Lin, Natalie Portman, Scott Prisand, Win Sheridan, Matt Weaver and Susser
Distributor: Rights Available.

The Gist: T.J, a 13 year old boy and his Father, both devastated by the tragic loss of the Mother/Wife, are now living with the elderly Grandma. On his way to school one day, T.J has a chance encounter with Hesher, a late 20’s year old with a troubled past (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)...(more)

Cast: Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson and Portman.

Why is it on the list?: This is Susser’s directorial debut, and if we base ourselves on his 2008 short I Love Sarah Jane, we may just have a diamond in the rough. Love the destructive nature of the lead character and look forward in seeing how this film treats the weird rapport between friendship and bullying – which is featured front, right and center in this film. I think we can expect a gnarly soundtrack and an infusion of dark humor that should make this stick out as a debut.

Release Date/Status?: This will receive its premiere at Sundance this month, will then find a buyer and be set for a 2010 release – a summer release looks to be the ideal date.

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Eric Lavallée

Eric Lavallée is the founder, CEO, editor-in-chief, film journalist and critic at IONCINEMA.com (founded in 2000). Eric is a regular at Sundance, Cannes and TIFF. He has a BFA in Film Studies at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. In 2013 he served as a Narrative Competition Jury Member at the SXSW Film Festival. He was an associate producer on Mark Jackson's This Teacher (2018 LA Film Festival, 2018 BFI London). In 2022 he served as a New Flesh Comp for Best First Feature at the 2022 Fantasia Intl. Film Festival. Current top films for 2022 include Tár (Todd Field), All That Breathes (Shaunak Sen), Aftersun (Charlotte Wells).