SLC Punk! (1998)

Anarchy! PUNK! Fuck all! yeah!

Actually, I should stop my message here, but meh, I'm not a real punker. You kick for a reason, not for the sake of it.

The film captures the atmosphere well. Especially in the beginning, it isn't very profound, but the film is full of nonsensical lines, drinking, fights, and great music from bands like the Ramones, Dead Kennedies, and Minor Threat.

The stark vision, narrative style, and handling of alcohol and drugs are sometimes reminiscent of Trainspotting, with a strong punk influence. What's nice here is that the main character actually addresses us right into the camera. It's just like watching a documentary about his life, which is essentially what it is.

As the film progresses, the whole thing shifts. Characters gain new insights regarding their lives, punk, and anarchy, and as a result, we also get a different perspective. It is interesting and certainly prevents it from becoming one-sided, although it didn't quickly become so, thanks to the enjoyable monologues and dialogues.

A fun, not-too-serious take on punk and, in a sense, also a nice character and cultural sketch, but then I'm probably going too far again. Just fun, partly due to the awesome soundtrack.

Translated from Dutch · View original

A decent film about a few punk youths from Salt Lake City in the mid-1980s. The film doesn't really have a story and therefore lacks direction at times. However, there are entertaining scenes with the punks' perspective on the world and society. Matthew Lillard is well-cast and largely makes the film with his energetic performance. A solid 3.0 stars.

Translated from Dutch · View original