431 reviews
"I once knew a guy who was dyslexic, but he was crosseyed so everything came out right."
To sneak a peek through the peephole that is Gummo is to be pulled trough a small town tour of torture and depravity. It's bizzare and unnerving mix of character studies is as disturbing as it is depressing as it is facinating. It's so sour I can't even imagine what a screenplay would look like let alone the mind of the one who wrote it. I loved the style / format and uncompromising abrasiveness. Very unique, and I'll be hard pressed to find someone to recommend it to, though when I do I definitely will.
A bizarre film
After every scene you have to ask "what in the flying f--- am I watching?" It IS unique art though and deserves some stars for that. Absurd to the nth degree with no particular plot or story line. Much of it could be described as hilariously entertaining in the same disturbing way that watching two dogs fight over a chicken bone could be. I laughed my a-- off through most of it, but near the end it got sad. You start to feel guilty for mocking these miserable people. But, mostly you come away asking "why do people reproduce?" and wonder how much better this planet would be without us abysmal creatures running around wrecking the place.
- IDKflycasual
- Aug 20, 2021
- Permalink
If you don't smile, I'm going to kill you.
Mama told me not to come
Remember when you were in grade school and the weird kids down the block were doing something that looked, well, interesting, and your mom told you to stay away? Did you? Did you ever wonder what it was they were up to down there, behind the garage, in the basement of someone's house, over by the bowling alley?
Rent Gummo and find out. Mama wasn't as stupid as you thought.
Rent Gummo and find out. Mama wasn't as stupid as you thought.
Startling
Set in Xenia, Ohio, Gummo feels like a deliberate riposte to Hollywood by its creator, Harmony Korine, whose penchant for subversion was already evident in his screen writing debut for Larry Clark's Kids (1995). Eschewing linear narrative, Korine explores, through the use of vignettes and bizarre episodes, the cat-killing escapades of its two protagonists and weaves this quest around a set of unrelated but bizarre events taking place in Xenia. There is no sense of a story, only a mood, and that mood fluctuates wildly from revulsion to surprise. By giving voice to those marginalized from society, Korine paints a startling portrait of landlocked America, one at odds with the Hollywood cliché of its inhabitants. There are many unforgettable scenes and yet it's not an enjoyable film, but it challenges, provokes and pushes the margins - and that in itself is worthy.
Uniquely compelling film that is not for people with closed-minds
Well, I'd heard a lot about this film before I bought it, but nothing I was told really prepared me for how different this film is from anything else I've seen. On first viewing, Gummo appears to be a collection of random events, but after watching it a few more times, it it becomes more obvious how each scene and character link together (although there are still a few that I am unsure of!!). The nearest analogy I can think of is of a music album. Each scene is like a song that can be enjoyed on its own, but when the album is listened to as a whole it becomes much more than just a collection of songs, all linked in their own way. Plus, like a great album, the more times you listen\watch, the more you get out of it.
People will criticise this film for having no plot and to start with I agreed, but if you work hard to understand the film then you will get much more reward and enjoyment then from most Hollywood blockbuster's. The beauty of Gummo really is that there are so many questions that you can and will watch it again and again and get something different every time. This film is reasonably short, but it is probably the only film I have seen where every scene has worked. I am a very difficult viewer to please, but every scene in this film kept me enthralled and I did not want to fast forward once, even in the times I have watched it since (about 15 times!!)
A magnificent film, and a great directorial debut from a name to watch in the future - Harmony Korine.
People will criticise this film for having no plot and to start with I agreed, but if you work hard to understand the film then you will get much more reward and enjoyment then from most Hollywood blockbuster's. The beauty of Gummo really is that there are so many questions that you can and will watch it again and again and get something different every time. This film is reasonably short, but it is probably the only film I have seen where every scene has worked. I am a very difficult viewer to please, but every scene in this film kept me enthralled and I did not want to fast forward once, even in the times I have watched it since (about 15 times!!)
A magnificent film, and a great directorial debut from a name to watch in the future - Harmony Korine.
- Dan_Shearing
- Sep 17, 2001
- Permalink
Makes me laugh
I'm not going to argue a thing. What is amazing about Gummo is the feelings it illuminates. Some love it. Some hate it. Someone actually argued about how unrealistic it is towards the people of Xenia. Who cares? Is it also not portraying glue sniffers properly? Or cats? I bought this movie 20 years, or so, ago and didn't understand it. Still don't. Here is what I will say about this movie based on what I've experienced the past decades- watch it- at least once. The reason is you will be with a group of people. Maybe it's a party. Maybe you're talking with people after a professor's lecture. Whatever. Maybe it will be you. Maybe it will be someone else, but the moment anyone says "Gummo", an instant bond forms with anyone who has seen it. And they will want to talk about it! As will you! And it doesn't matter one bit how anyone "felt about it"! The group is formed. Is it art? Who is to say? Does promote discussion?
- jburger-85818
- May 13, 2024
- Permalink
Sticking Needles in your Eyes is Better Entertainment
Absolutely and utterly the most cloyingly nauseating movie experience of my life. GUMMO has no redeeming qualities, no plot, no acting, no production values, and no writing worth a tinker's damn. If a freak show intrigues you, then you may benefit from it. Otherwise follow the advise from Monty Python's killer rabbit crew and RUN AWAY! GUMMO is to movies what barf pools are to dive bar latrines. I paid to see this insipid paean to teen angst way back when it came out and so I watched it all the way through, although, in order not to gnaw my hands of, I resorted to sticking needles in my eyes to distract me from the dour farce perpetrated on the now forever stained screen before me. If this isn't the worst move ever in the whole of the known universe, then I'm sure you can see it from here. Horrid.
Pure unadulterated genius served with unreserved love.
GUMMO is the tightest, most consistent, and honest portrayal of youth's quest for love in a society that has forsaken them ever made. Forget the comedy, forget the outstanding photography, forget the heart stopping art direction. This movie is about the little people forgotten between the cracks who seek acceptance amid overwhelming obstacles of hatred, crime, poverty, disease, and twists of fate that leave them alone and groping for comfort. Almost every character is screaming out for love in one way or another, however dysfunctional their lives may be. All of these issues are real - even if exaggerated in the film - and there are thousands of kids out there who in their own beautiful way are trying to live their lives despite the cruelty of a world that will just crap on them. The next time you watch this film, look for the tenderness between the mayhem...
Just saw Gummo
Gummo was very good. I thought it was a documentary really. The actors didn't come off as actors at all and I am sure that some of the people used were just being themselves. I thought the movie was very funny and honest. People are actually like this in real life. The music was put in the right places- I especially liked the bike scene at the beginning when the two boys were riding down the hill- the one kid looks like Johnny Rotten at 14. The reality of the film is rather depressing but this is what a lot of America is like- the grimy scene when the two boys get milkshakes was a great slice of the crappy culture that is much of the United States and of the world. Very good film all around. Nihilistic.
Please, please, PLEASE do not see this movie.
Gummo. The mere mention of the name sends shivers down the spines of people who enjoy intelligent films. It is essentially a documentary-style film chronicling the lives of people living in a post-tornado town in Ohio. While some may try to describe this movie as "original" or "beautiful", the truth is the English language does not have enough adjectives to describe how utterly terrible this movie is.
The worst thing about this movie is that it really seems to think it's saying something important about life. I don't know what the message of this movie is. I don't care what the message of this movie is. And if I knew what it was, it would not change my opinion. The whole movie just plods along, with the most pointless, stupid, incoherent scenes imaginable, many of which are disgusting simply for the sake of being disgusting. It is the film equivalent of a pig wallowing in its own filth. I suppose Harmony Korine was banking on his viewers being as intelligent as the residents of Xenia, since those are the only people whom would be even remotely interested in this piece of garbage.
What's truly disgusting though, is the fact that there's actually a market for this kind of trash. I've read reviews of this film that call it "beautiful", "brilliant", "stunning". Honestly, when I see positive reviews of this movie, I feel inexpressibly sad. The fact that intelligent human beings can actually enjoy this mess is a much more horrifying comment on society than the film itself.
In my lifetime I have seen my fair share of awful movies. But I have never seen a movie this pointless. I have never seen a movie this repulsive. I have never seen a movie this BAD. And, god willing, I never will again.
The worst thing about this movie is that it really seems to think it's saying something important about life. I don't know what the message of this movie is. I don't care what the message of this movie is. And if I knew what it was, it would not change my opinion. The whole movie just plods along, with the most pointless, stupid, incoherent scenes imaginable, many of which are disgusting simply for the sake of being disgusting. It is the film equivalent of a pig wallowing in its own filth. I suppose Harmony Korine was banking on his viewers being as intelligent as the residents of Xenia, since those are the only people whom would be even remotely interested in this piece of garbage.
What's truly disgusting though, is the fact that there's actually a market for this kind of trash. I've read reviews of this film that call it "beautiful", "brilliant", "stunning". Honestly, when I see positive reviews of this movie, I feel inexpressibly sad. The fact that intelligent human beings can actually enjoy this mess is a much more horrifying comment on society than the film itself.
In my lifetime I have seen my fair share of awful movies. But I have never seen a movie this pointless. I have never seen a movie this repulsive. I have never seen a movie this BAD. And, god willing, I never will again.
- thereisnospoon101
- May 10, 2002
- Permalink
Disturbing but strangely warm
Extremely disturbing film, kind of like a documentary without any narrative. Takes place in the town of Xenia, Ohio in the aftermath of a tornado. The characters are all extremely bizarre, which makes the viewer wonder how realistic things are. The settings, including messy houses and barren streets, are profoundly depressing. Still, there is a sensitivity behind the darkness that lends the film a strangely warm feeling. As well, one feels for the "main characters" (though these characters don't inhabit the film in a traditional sense) despite their misguided acts. Worth seeing for open-minded, patient audiences who don't mind abstract plots and off-topic segues.
- worshipnounours
- Aug 16, 2006
- Permalink
An American parable and an excellent study of America's underbelly
For many people who know the United States only through cinema, tabloid celebrity-news and TV, the US is the land of the rich and the beautiful. For those people, the likes of Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Angelina Jolie, in other words, actors with big, polished grins and empty eyes are the faces of America. And Hollywood is its capital city.
Well, "Gummo" isn't about that America; "Gummo" is the America of the poor, uneducated and the degenerated descendents of the dregs from around the world. These aren't the (supposedly) proud and noble people who came to America on board the Mayflower, but rather those that travelled in the ships hull; those who eventually ended up in some dreary trailer camp and hamlet somewhere in the Midwest, simply because they weren't wanted anywhere else.
"The prophet has no honor in his own country", goes an old saying, which would explain the harsh criticism that director Harmony Korine has received, especially by American critics and reviewers. Too close to home and too harsh a reality, but undeniably a reality that Korine is more than familiar with. Korine descends from a similar environment and I dare say that it took courage to explore such an uncomfortable background.
The closest I can compare "Gummo" to is Werner Herzog's "Stroszek"; not only are the filming techniques very similar (whether Korine is a Herzog-fan I do not know, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least), blending together professionals, amateur- and non-actors seamlessly, but both films have a similar nihilist air, telling stories that are free of redemption, yet captivate the viewer's attention like a travelling freak-show or the birth of a two-headed cow.
One of the main reasons that I was watching "Gummo" in the first place, before even realizing what kind of film it was, was the presence of actor Jacob Reynolds. I had seen Reynolds in "The Road to Wellville", were he has a small but impressive scene as Dr. Kellogg's (Anthony Hopkins) adopted son. Apart from being an excellent actor, Reynolds is ugly. His ugliness, the over-sized head, bird-like features and asymmetric features, glues itself to the eye of the beholder; one could watch him for hours, giving new meaning to the term "so ugly that he's back to beautiful again". A shame that the young actor hasn't been starring in more films and bigger roles, but, like I already said, the industry relies more on pretty and lifeless actors.
Well, this definitely isn't a "pretty picture" – if you want "pretty" or "artificial", I recommend films with above mentioned ladies and gentlemen – and it most likely will not make you feel better if you happened to have a bad day. But it's authentic, and that's not exactly common these days. A movie one either loves or loves to hate.
Well, "Gummo" isn't about that America; "Gummo" is the America of the poor, uneducated and the degenerated descendents of the dregs from around the world. These aren't the (supposedly) proud and noble people who came to America on board the Mayflower, but rather those that travelled in the ships hull; those who eventually ended up in some dreary trailer camp and hamlet somewhere in the Midwest, simply because they weren't wanted anywhere else.
"The prophet has no honor in his own country", goes an old saying, which would explain the harsh criticism that director Harmony Korine has received, especially by American critics and reviewers. Too close to home and too harsh a reality, but undeniably a reality that Korine is more than familiar with. Korine descends from a similar environment and I dare say that it took courage to explore such an uncomfortable background.
The closest I can compare "Gummo" to is Werner Herzog's "Stroszek"; not only are the filming techniques very similar (whether Korine is a Herzog-fan I do not know, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least), blending together professionals, amateur- and non-actors seamlessly, but both films have a similar nihilist air, telling stories that are free of redemption, yet captivate the viewer's attention like a travelling freak-show or the birth of a two-headed cow.
One of the main reasons that I was watching "Gummo" in the first place, before even realizing what kind of film it was, was the presence of actor Jacob Reynolds. I had seen Reynolds in "The Road to Wellville", were he has a small but impressive scene as Dr. Kellogg's (Anthony Hopkins) adopted son. Apart from being an excellent actor, Reynolds is ugly. His ugliness, the over-sized head, bird-like features and asymmetric features, glues itself to the eye of the beholder; one could watch him for hours, giving new meaning to the term "so ugly that he's back to beautiful again". A shame that the young actor hasn't been starring in more films and bigger roles, but, like I already said, the industry relies more on pretty and lifeless actors.
Well, this definitely isn't a "pretty picture" – if you want "pretty" or "artificial", I recommend films with above mentioned ladies and gentlemen – and it most likely will not make you feel better if you happened to have a bad day. But it's authentic, and that's not exactly common these days. A movie one either loves or loves to hate.
- t_atzmueller
- Feb 19, 2013
- Permalink
The absolute WORST movie EVER
SPOILER: Don't let anyone tell you you're close-minded if you hated this movie. This movie was, beyond an inkling of a flicker of a shadow of a doubt, egregiously awful. There are always going to be wannabe artsy types out there who claim to see things other people don't; they "get" movies like Gummo, or at least they pretend to, so they can act as if they're in on something the rest of the world just isn't smart enough to understand. The truth is, though, that there is absolutely nothing to get. This movie is not innovative, nor intriguing, nor even interesting in the least. There's no underlying meaning to it at all (writer/director Harmony Korine admitted as much in an interview). It's just a loosely continuous assembly of vignettes depicting random scenes of filth, squalor, and depravity.
The movie is not a social commentary, as some have argued. It offers no insight into the lives of the people it exploits. The entire backstory-the tornado-serves only as an excuse for the rest of the thing, as if it mattered. It goes like this: first, we get to watch a shirtless boy in a bunny hood spit and urinate off an overpass; next, we meet two teenagers who ride their bikes around the desolate and dilapidated town, looking for cats they can kill and sell to a local restaurant owner; then, we're introduced to three bleach-blonde sisters who don't seem to have any parents and who busy themselves with such activities as ripping electrical tape off their bare nipples. These are the only recurring characters to speak of. Nothing they do is even remotely interesting or entertaining, though. And every other character is memorable only for the few minutes it takes the viewer to rid himself of the feeling of disgust, only to be disgusted again and again by characters he should be feeling sympathy for.
And that's really why this movie is so awful. Don't get me wrong, it'd be awful no matter what, but it wouldn't be entirely without merit if we could actually feel anything other than disdain for the characters. But these are not real people, everything is actually scripted, and none of it is believable at all.
The shock value is negligible; it's not really shocking, but even if it were, there are better movies to watch if that's what you're after. It's not innovative, either-it's actually almost a blatant rip-off of some other, more noteworthy films. It's quite obvious that the only purpose here was to be pretentious. Of course, it probably wasn't meant to be so obvious.
The movie is not a social commentary, as some have argued. It offers no insight into the lives of the people it exploits. The entire backstory-the tornado-serves only as an excuse for the rest of the thing, as if it mattered. It goes like this: first, we get to watch a shirtless boy in a bunny hood spit and urinate off an overpass; next, we meet two teenagers who ride their bikes around the desolate and dilapidated town, looking for cats they can kill and sell to a local restaurant owner; then, we're introduced to three bleach-blonde sisters who don't seem to have any parents and who busy themselves with such activities as ripping electrical tape off their bare nipples. These are the only recurring characters to speak of. Nothing they do is even remotely interesting or entertaining, though. And every other character is memorable only for the few minutes it takes the viewer to rid himself of the feeling of disgust, only to be disgusted again and again by characters he should be feeling sympathy for.
And that's really why this movie is so awful. Don't get me wrong, it'd be awful no matter what, but it wouldn't be entirely without merit if we could actually feel anything other than disdain for the characters. But these are not real people, everything is actually scripted, and none of it is believable at all.
The shock value is negligible; it's not really shocking, but even if it were, there are better movies to watch if that's what you're after. It's not innovative, either-it's actually almost a blatant rip-off of some other, more noteworthy films. It's quite obvious that the only purpose here was to be pretentious. Of course, it probably wasn't meant to be so obvious.
Life, Death and Alienation in Xenia, OH
- tiimbitz4786
- Aug 28, 2011
- Permalink
Something good in the end
Gummo is the directorial debut of Harmony Korine, who wrote the screenplay for Larry Clark's acclaimed and highly provocative youth film Kids (1995). Here he descends into even more misery, now among some misfit souls for a couple of summer days in the more seedy neighborhoods of Nashville.
It is in a way both extremely provocative and cynical. Many would turn off the movie after a while. Applies to having a hell of a lot of patience to just bear and even want to take part in this surreal mess of everything and nothing. At first glance, it is extremely difficult to find any common thread or even see a sense of the film.
At the same time, it is difficult to look away, as it has something unique in the documentary structure. It is still a reality that exists out there. Which should perhaps be made clear even within the regular feature film. A reality many people close their eyes to and which shows what class society has created.
Today, Gummo is both iconic and cult, so from a film historical perspective it is still quite significant. I think that sometimes these "artworks" of hopelessness and sadness still create thoughts and reflections that give people more understanding and that give birth to something good in the end.
It is in a way both extremely provocative and cynical. Many would turn off the movie after a while. Applies to having a hell of a lot of patience to just bear and even want to take part in this surreal mess of everything and nothing. At first glance, it is extremely difficult to find any common thread or even see a sense of the film.
At the same time, it is difficult to look away, as it has something unique in the documentary structure. It is still a reality that exists out there. Which should perhaps be made clear even within the regular feature film. A reality many people close their eyes to and which shows what class society has created.
Today, Gummo is both iconic and cult, so from a film historical perspective it is still quite significant. I think that sometimes these "artworks" of hopelessness and sadness still create thoughts and reflections that give people more understanding and that give birth to something good in the end.
- markus-elfstrom
- Apr 13, 2024
- Permalink
Incredible, Shocking, Beautiful, Moving
This film is a unique moment. People who knock it for lack of "plot", or characters have missed the point. For a start the characters are an incredibly rich mixture of people and personalities, who are far more interesting than most Hollywood blank, 2D, characters. While there may not be a plot, it doesn't need one because the different stories it tells weave together perfectly and you get a great picture of the town and its residents.
The film is shot brilliantly as well, Korine using so many different techniques so effectively. The editing is the same, bringing all the different parts together superbly In short, one of the best films ever. Ever. OK.
The film is shot brilliantly as well, Korine using so many different techniques so effectively. The editing is the same, bringing all the different parts together superbly In short, one of the best films ever. Ever. OK.
"It's nothing new for trash like you!"
A singularly unusual work, Harmony Korine's docu-narrative "Gummo" could pass as the love child of Diane Arbus and David Lynch. Using a mix of professional and nonprofessional actors, the lives of those who make up the lower socio-economic strata of Xenia, Ohio, are played out in squalor and absurdity. For those who doubt such characters exist in real life, I have three words: Ohio River Valley. Having lived in the southern parts of Ohio and Indiana for 11 years, I can attest that there are indeed such folks. Doubters should also compare the characters in "Gummo" with the real-life participants of Steve James's documentary "Stevie" (2002), set in southern Illinois. Certainly flawed, "Gummo" nonetheless is compelling viewing. I found myself drawn in further and further as the film progressed. Rating: 7/10.
- Latheman-9
- Mar 25, 2004
- Permalink
Falls flat
definitely worth seeing
Harmony Korine, although a spoiled rich kid pretending to be a struggling indie filmmaker, is really clever, and deserves credit for his work. Love him or hate him, this movie is spectacular. Although the simple plot line of "White trash living in Ohio" might not seem that enthralling, the way the movie is shot, mixing documentary style (albeit acted) clips with an actual plotline, is excellent. The first time I saw this, I didn't know if it really happened or not, that's how well Harmony pulls it off. And the actors, for having never had parts in anything before (except for a few of them) do an amazing job as well. If you're put off by 'realistic' movies, or are easily disturbed, then yes, this movie will probably upset you. But even if it doesn't appeal to you, it's still a unique and original movie on it's own.
Before you start bashing the movie, ask yourself, "what do I expect from a movie based on destitute, racist, drug addicted people living in a small, small town?"
Before you start bashing the movie, ask yourself, "what do I expect from a movie based on destitute, racist, drug addicted people living in a small, small town?"
- moviekid84
- Sep 1, 2003
- Permalink
eh, who knows. it's art, make up your own mind.
When I hear the term art flick', I think beautiful camera work, intriguing exaggerated characters and little or no plot. Personally, I really have to be in the right mood to enjoy an art flick'. I wish someone would have told me this was an art flick'.
There is no defensible plot to this movie. It is a series of vignettes that take place in Xenia, Ohio. These come together to form a stark, bleak, often offensive portrait of a rural, `white trash' town torn in the wake of a tornado attack. `I saw a girl fly through the sky and I looked up her skirt.' Fortunately, for the intrepid, bold, patient viewer, many, maybe most, of these scenes follow a pair of characters, Solomon and Tummler. Solomon's could range anywhere from 8 to 15. Tummler looks a bit older. Both are dirty, ignorant except in voiceovers, and fairly ugly: the perfect portal into Xenia, a town rife with filth, and a surface ugliness that on further examination shows some insight and beauty.
Gummo' contains a healthy dose of cat symbolism. Solomon and Tummler kill stray cats and sell them for spending money. (Money that apparently gets spent on retarded whores, glue to sniff, and whipcream, for the nitrous oxide, natch.) Dot (Chloë Sevigny) and her sisters own a cat that may or may not be pregnant and is later lost. The cat, Foot Foot, is presumably killed by Solomon and Tummler, but nothing can be explicit in an art flick. This narrative about cats can be at best described as a subplot, a subplot to no main plot. My initial reaction to the cats is that they are a parallel to the citizens of Xenia. They amble aimlessly, just getting by, until one day their number is up, and the tornado comes to town.
eh, who knows. it's art, make up your own mind.
All in all, my best advice concerning this movie, sorry, film is caveat emptor. It is brilliant and beautiful, but you have to be ready to work for it. Where Kids' held your hand through the tumults of The City, all you get from Gummo' is some skinny, shirtless kid wearing bunny ears riding a skateboard.
There is no defensible plot to this movie. It is a series of vignettes that take place in Xenia, Ohio. These come together to form a stark, bleak, often offensive portrait of a rural, `white trash' town torn in the wake of a tornado attack. `I saw a girl fly through the sky and I looked up her skirt.' Fortunately, for the intrepid, bold, patient viewer, many, maybe most, of these scenes follow a pair of characters, Solomon and Tummler. Solomon's could range anywhere from 8 to 15. Tummler looks a bit older. Both are dirty, ignorant except in voiceovers, and fairly ugly: the perfect portal into Xenia, a town rife with filth, and a surface ugliness that on further examination shows some insight and beauty.
Gummo' contains a healthy dose of cat symbolism. Solomon and Tummler kill stray cats and sell them for spending money. (Money that apparently gets spent on retarded whores, glue to sniff, and whipcream, for the nitrous oxide, natch.) Dot (Chloë Sevigny) and her sisters own a cat that may or may not be pregnant and is later lost. The cat, Foot Foot, is presumably killed by Solomon and Tummler, but nothing can be explicit in an art flick. This narrative about cats can be at best described as a subplot, a subplot to no main plot. My initial reaction to the cats is that they are a parallel to the citizens of Xenia. They amble aimlessly, just getting by, until one day their number is up, and the tornado comes to town.
eh, who knows. it's art, make up your own mind.
All in all, my best advice concerning this movie, sorry, film is caveat emptor. It is brilliant and beautiful, but you have to be ready to work for it. Where Kids' held your hand through the tumults of The City, all you get from Gummo' is some skinny, shirtless kid wearing bunny ears riding a skateboard.
- andrewmaxr
- Feb 20, 2002
- Permalink
The cinematic equivalent of scab-picking...some see this as Art
Years after a tornado has wiped out much of their small town in Ohio, leaving behind nothing but memories and decay, a group of young and old characters react in different ways to the boredom and vacuousness that has settled in around them. The kids torture and sell cats, lift weights, and listen to death metal music, while the addle-pated adults seem to have killed off all their brains cells from one substance or another. Made for just over a million dollars, writer-director Harmony Korine's independent film is preconceived to shock with its depravity. To Korine's credit, the stultified atmosphere of the piece is arresting, the cinematography is scarily good, and--though the amateur acting is sometimes facile--the foul, stunted vocabulary and heartless aimlessness of the characters seems pretty truthful. Chloë Sevigny has a small part (and also designed the costumes!) playing a platinum blonde flirting with a skinny, pasty jock who tells her he has ADD; when Korine relaxes a little bit and just engages in their talk (or in sibling roughhousing, or jumping around on the bed to Buddy Holly's "Everyday"), "Gummo" manages to work a bit of primitive magic. However, the main objective (as I can tell) is to show the bestiality which arises in human beings who have nothing else to do but lash out. The anger and betrayal these kids feel isn't necessarily addressed verbally (they seem too uneducated to process a genuine thought or articulate their emotions), but it is visualized for us, sometimes graphically. Viewers can argue endlessly whether or not this depiction of human waste is Art...whether or not it is exploitation, common huckstering, completely dishonest, or enlightening. I certainly can see an askew sense of talent (visual talent, anyway) hovering around the movie's edges, but not much entertainment value. If apathy and abject indifference in our society is really this bad, then there's no hope for any of us. The lunatics are running the asylum. * from ****
- moonspinner55
- Apr 5, 2009
- Permalink
Give the swine what they bellow for
Get Ready for THE Train Wreck
no redeeming features
I'm afraid this film has no redeeming features. There is no plot - at all. The film appears to be trying to show a snapshot of American life in a rundown town, but I don't believe it - has anybody been to a town like this, don't think so?
There was no acting to speak of as pretty much everybody just emotionlessly reads lines or possibly just made stuff up - who knows - nobody says anything important or relevant so you cannot tell.
The film could have started at any point and ended at any point and not detracted from it's contents (if it had finished 2 minutes after it started I would have been happier). I believe this is just a fairly sad attempt at trying to be "arty". Don't get me wrong I enjoy a good film be it typical blockbuster or small independent, the money put into a film doesn't really matter - story does. You have to ask yourself why was this film made? What purpose does it serve? It provoked no reaction from me except a kind of listless boredom. No real anger, sadness or disappointment. I just didn't care about anything or anybody in the film. I do feel slightly agrieved at having 2 hours (or however long this thing is) taken away from my life when I could have been organising my string collection - but that is all.
Why can't you give 0/10 - *sigh* 1/10 will have to do
There was no acting to speak of as pretty much everybody just emotionlessly reads lines or possibly just made stuff up - who knows - nobody says anything important or relevant so you cannot tell.
The film could have started at any point and ended at any point and not detracted from it's contents (if it had finished 2 minutes after it started I would have been happier). I believe this is just a fairly sad attempt at trying to be "arty". Don't get me wrong I enjoy a good film be it typical blockbuster or small independent, the money put into a film doesn't really matter - story does. You have to ask yourself why was this film made? What purpose does it serve? It provoked no reaction from me except a kind of listless boredom. No real anger, sadness or disappointment. I just didn't care about anything or anybody in the film. I do feel slightly agrieved at having 2 hours (or however long this thing is) taken away from my life when I could have been organising my string collection - but that is all.
Why can't you give 0/10 - *sigh* 1/10 will have to do