Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Spring Breakers

This is topic Spring Breakers in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 05-17-2013, 11:21 PM:

Spring Breakers is a seriously mismarketed film. Despite the one sheets and standees which adorn cinema foyers, it is not The Real Cancun nor is it a Porky's for a new generation of lustful teenagers. With its 'R' classification, that audience couldn't see it (legally) anyway. The biggest clue to the true nature of the film comes from it's ambiguous tagline: A little sun can bring out your dark side.

Although it appears a sexploitation flick on the surface, beneath this superficial story of drugs, tits and booty lies a cautionary tale on the reckless vulgarity of youth and the seductive nature of the darkness which exists within us all.

The story follows four teenage girls (which includes former Disney darlings, Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez) as they partake in the debauchery of spring break (or "schoolies" as we would call it here in Oz) and "find out who they really are". And that they certainly do.

Admittedly the performances from the girls are rather shallow but that's the point. In any case, they're less shallow by the end after they're drafted by local drug lord, Alien (James Franco), a snake of the vilest order with delusions of gangsta. As Alien, Franco serves up yet another sterling performance in his increasingly impressive developing career.

Director Harmony Korine presents a dirty, gritty, salacious road to redemption and his thesis (that the secret to life lies in being a good person - we just take wildly varying routes to get there) is a positive one. He clearly possesses a rare vision. His film is striking, seductive, confronting, expertly edited (in a non-linear fashion) and makes great use of its soundtrack. It's a unique style which will destine Spring Breakers to future cultdom.

8.5 out of 10

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 05-19-2013, 07:31 PM:

If the goal of the marketing was to keep people away from this movie, it really worked great on me. Up until stumbling on this review, I even didn't consider reading reviews about this movie.

But I guess that I now understand why this suddenly appeared on the schedule of some local art-house theaters...