SPRING BREAKERS

Directed by: Harmony Korine
Released: 2012

I will never hide the fact that I absolutely love Harmony Korine.  "Gummo" is in my top ten movies of all time, and it's a film I could watch every day and never get sick of it.  It's so visceral, so disturbing and discomforting, that you notice some new layer of filth every time you watch it.  But this isn't about "Gummo." 

I didn't absolutely love "Spring Breakers," but I didn't hate it by any stretch.  The most important thing, to me, the thing I was most looking forward to, was the direction; I really only watched it because it was a Korine flick (if almost any other director had done this film, there's no way I would have seen it).  And the direction was good..  as were the sets and production design, lighting, etc..  All quite good.  Effective and appropriate.  I don't think there was a moment of silence in the film; there was either dialogue or music at every conceivable moment.  So that, coupled with the day-glo/neon/psychedelic lighting and color schemes, made it feel like a 94 minute music video.  The girls all acted well, and I know this because I didn't like any of them.  I've known people like them (minus the whole robbery/involvement in murder & drugs stuff), and they're just the worst kind of people.  BUT, because I hated them, I see that as a sign of good acting on their part.  You aren't supposed to feel bad for these chicks, because they're not good people.  Well, maybe two of 'em are.  You just gotta watch.  James Franco as Alien was entertaining, though I found him grating on my nerves after a while..  but again, I think that was the point.  There seems to be some kind of anti-consumerist/anti-generation X/anti-entitlement social commentary going on underneath the overall story, but you need to dig a little bit to find it.  There were stylistic choices made that seemed like classic Harmony Korine-- odd and confusing editing techniques, extensive use of voice overs, often one on top of another, things like that..  but it seemed like he was trying to be strange and never quite made it. 

I bought the Blu-Ray, so I can watch it again, which I likely will soon.  I do love Harmony Korine, and as much as I was underwhelmed by his last "Hollywood" film, "Mister Lonely," I did enjoy this.  But the reason I was underwhelmed by "Mister Lonely" (and not, say, "Trash Humpers") is the same reason I was mildly underwhelmed by "Spring Breakers" ... I keep thinking (or, more accurately, "desperately hoping") Korine's gonna make "Gummo" again.  And he won't.  Although Korine still does his extremely odd shorts, and films like "Trash Humpers", he's moved on and grown as a filmmaker, and I need to just accept, and respect, that fact.  But goddammit, I wish he'd go back to his roots....  7/10