Hatchet reporter Emily Holland discusses her latest cinematic experience.
★★★★✩
How does 24 hours of partying with no consequences sound? That’s what director Harmony Korine offers in his newest film “Spring Breakers,” which follows four college girls from their boring small-town dormitory to the raucous beaches of Florida.
The story begins with the common college problem of money: there’s just not enough of it. But instead of finding a reasonable way to raise some cash, the girls rob a restaurant, which is made easy by their “pretend it’s a video game” mantra. Once the money is in their pockets, they leave the consequences behind and embark on their trip to “paradise.”
James Franco shines in the film as Alien, the gangster-rapper who bails the girls out of jail when an unfortunate arrest knocks them with a narcotics charge. Franco is nearly unrecognizable with cornrows, tattoos and a set of silver grills lining his usually charming smile. His demeanor screams “psychopath” to audiences, who can’t help but cringe when he is onscreen. But to the misty-eyed girls on spring break, he has it all. This infatuation leads them to become more and more engrossed in the fast-paced life of love and drugs, with no objection from their consciences.
Disney Channel stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens effectively break out of their “good girl” stereotypes, while “Pretty Little Liars” star Ashley Benson fully transforms into the raunchy persona of a spring break girl-gone-wild. Though she is largely unknown, Rachel Korine, the wife of the director, gives a wonderfully trashy performance, solidifying the sleazy power of the four leading ladies.
“Spring Breakers” is a movie that, at surface level, merely proves how crazy teenagers get once they escape into a world without supervision. But layers of complexity take the film from trashy teen exposé to a larger commentary on violence, religion and morality. The movie catalogues the girls’ fall from virtue, which began with the initial robbery and ends where no one could have predicted.
Ignore all of your preconceptions about the film and its actors, because it is more shocking and thought provoking than the labels would make you believe. And with a soundtrack led by Skrillex, how could you possibly be underwhelmed?
Director: Harmony Korine
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine and James Franco
Release Date: March 22
