Movie Week - Spring Breakers

via filmjamblog.com

After The Bling Ring I desperately needed something to cleanse the palette. 

I’d heard good thing about Spring Breakers.  I believe when either Selena Gomez or James Franco was on The Late Show promoting it, someone said that I was a different side to Harmony Korine. 

I found that intriguing because I pretend that I’m a fan of Korine.  I’m constantly praising Gummo and I’m generally a fan of erratic behavior.  So a more mature Korine sounded interesting. 

Given the cast, I assumed that Spring Breakers was Korine’s bid for mainstream success.  I was way mistaken.  Spring Breakers is still 100% Harmony Korine.  Sure there’s a pretty coherent storyline, but it’s still completely Korine. 

It’s very difficult to look at this movie without factoring in the meta aspect of former Disney stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens.  Both of them are playing against type with all of the drug use, sexual activity and violence, it’s hard to believe it’s not a reaction to the Disney machine. 

Honestly it’s mildly distracting.  Watching Hudgens smoke blunts, make out with men and women and fondle guns is certainly dope to watch, but only because it’s Hudgens doing it.  And you kind of have to wonder if the camera would linger on those shots if it wasn’t her doing it. 

Korine paints a pretty scary portrait of Spring Break.  If I had daughters I’d probably never let them out of my sight.  Seriously, Spring Breakers comes close to counting as a horror film. 

Things sort of meander until James Franco’s Alien shows up.  If you haven’t the film, Alien is everything you’ve heard he is.  He’s captivating and alluring as a character and he gives the film a narrative thrust.  He’s dangerous enough to demand attention yet odd enough to make you curious.  And of course he escalates things. 

And he’s got the creepiest twins this side of Westeros. 

Spring Breakers is an experience.  It’s a movie that you’re either going to be into or not.  Because of the star power it is going to get gawkers, but it’s really a pretty standard Korine flick.  It’s not a movie that’s for just anyone, as it’s a demanding film. 

But if you’re curious, check it out.  It’s certainly worth your time.