Friday, April 3, 2020

GUMMO (1997)



Written & Directed by: Harmony Korine 
Cinematography: Jean-Yves Escoffier 
Editor: Christopher Tellefsen 

Cast: Chloe Sevingy, Max Perlich, Linda Manz, Jacob Sewell, Harmony Korine, Nick Sutton, Jacob Reynolds, Carisa Glucksman 


Lonely residents of a tornado-stricken Ohio town wander the deserted landscape trying to fulfill their boring, nihilistic lives.

This film is more experimental and avant-garde. The film involves a series of scenes that follows characters mostly teens in a small town. As we see their adventures in this small town. They gave a sense of humor that like the rest of the film is more abstract.

As we watch a man feeling up a girl and reveal to her he felt a lump where we will revisit her later. A man who sells time with his special needs mentally handicapped daughter that wild disturbing. Her spending time with a teenage boy is surprisingly sweet and non sexual. We also see kids hunting cats selling the meat to restaurants. As well as a party that gets out of hand.

This is a movie you are going to get into it or not. As it is more an arthouse movie. As there is barely a narrative. Not something you watch for entertainment. A film you more watch to experience and study.

The film comes off disgusting and nasty but also rebellious. Showing a culture that doesn’t usually get shown and feels removed. Though seems to keep a smile and a dark side of humor throughout. Though it seems meant to show the day to day life of a bunch of youths in a more rural community. 

This is a hard film to wrap your head around. As this comes off more as an art project. Harmony Korine’s directorial debut after writing the screenplays for KIDS and KEN PARK.

This film shows Mr. Korine to be a daring director, definitely challenging and far from the mainstream. This film actually feels Anti-narrative and actually anti a lot of things.

Grade: B-

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