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A haunting and humorous look at the forgotten poor. Harmony Korine's indie drama Gummo (1997) is like no other film. Korine goes to Xenia, Ohio, which is devastated by a tornado and films his actors pretending to be the most strange rednecks and impoverished people. Gummo is like looking into the overlooked poor suffering from abject poverty and total boredom. I have to mention that Gummo will feel like torture to most audiences. Gummo features repeated animal abuse of cats, incestuous relationships, child molestation, murder of the elderly, and random violence. Gummo is definitely deliberate in its choices as Korine gives you hints at its clever brilliance. For example, two bald muscular brothers are introduced as having killed their own parents. This is shocking, then Solomon narrates that he does not understand why they would do this as their life looks neat and comfortable as far as he can tell. Then, the very next scene is the two brothers play fighting, then suddenly boxing for real. It's like Gummo demonstrates their pent up frustration as they are prone to violence. Gummo makes sense if you think about each person in relation to a theme. Gummo is clearly self aware of how odd it is as Korine named it after the forgotten Marx brother Gummo Marx. He dubs his movie masterpiece Gummo as if his characters represent the same kind of unremembered population. Korine's script is filled with fatalistic nihilism and a poetic dejection. All the characters are either deliriously content with their simple lives or hopelessly miserable and just coping with life. Korine presents a side of America that is on its last legs, but ever existing in squalor. The dirty rooms, destroyed homes, filthy clothes, and chaotic lifestyles are all examples of Gummo giving you white trash existence. Chloe Sevigny provided the costumes that range from bunny ears to taped over nipples. That says it all. Korine's direction is fascinating as Gummo appears to look more like a documentary interviewing each person in this little Ohio town for their perspective on life. It's a slice of life meets coming of age movie, but if it was centered around John Waters type figures with David Lynch's insane style. Korine's directorial style is all his own. Gummo's soundtrack is outstanding with stoner metal from Sleep, black metal from Bathory, atmospheric black metal from Burzum, rockabilly from Buddy Holly, and pop from Madonna. Gummo's tonal shifts are accompanied by wild songs mostly from the black metal, sludge metal, stoner metal, powerviolence, grindcore, pop, and folk genres. These undeniably varied genres make Gummo unpredictable and all the more enjoyable. Jacob Reynolds is the strangest looking boy ever. His character Solomon tortures cats, breaks and enters, rides his bike, and eats spaghetti. He is truly in a world of his own. Nick Sutton as Tummler is so odd unto himself. He'll pontificate about the state of the world, kill or torture some cats, kill an old lady, arm wrestle, or sleep with a prostitute. He is an interesting guy you have to admit. Jacob Sewell plays Bunny Boy, who walks around with bunny ears and most of the time they just refer to him as Rabbit. He gets to kiss Chloe Sevigny and get tortured by everyone else, so there is that. I love Chloe Sevigny as the quirky and dreamy Dot. Carisa Glucksman is Dot's adorable sister Helen. Would you believe that Gummo features two neat cameos from legendary skateboarders Tony Hawk and Mark Gonzales? Well Gummo did that too! All these intriguing characters add up to Gummo being a gripping experience into the lives of the aimless. Gummo would be art house if Harmony Korine first broke into that house.Read full review
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Where documentary style merges with film. This blurs the line between reality and illusion, in the same vein as Even Dwarfs Started Small and Kids. May be hard to watch for some people as it contains many NSFW images and situations that will make snowflakes cringe. I guess Life scares people.
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This movie is GREAT for those that view life from an absurdist point of view, but if you like run of the mill "formula" movies then this is not for you. The quality of the DVD and its packaging feels very cheap and not worth the price, but it plays fine and that's what matters to me.
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A Gem of a Film If your a LARRY CLARK Fan
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Not exactly a Disney type film, unlikely to be forgotten.
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