by Bryan Renfro

    Leave it to Harmony Korine to take a montage of college kids at the beach - and make it seem like the the end of the world. And yet, that is the opening of the 2012 film "Spring Breakers". We are quickly assaulted with images of "partying" that seem so sad and empty that it can only spell the complete and utter downfall of humanity. And that's just the first few opening minutes of the film. 

     But once you get past the preamble of debauchery, you are introduced to what seem to be some interesting characters. And it's all done with an array of gorgeous shots, avant-garde angels and framing and a style of criss-cross editing that truly makes you sit up and take notice. All with a use of color in every scene that shows the conceptualized style and attention to detail of a master craftsman.  

     And from very early on, I started to notice something unusual this film was doing with it's young female characters. It wasn't just allowing them to be pretty, which is easy to do with an attractive cast of actresses. No, this film knowingly takes things much further and it truly revels in their sexuality. Let's face it... most teenage girls just exude sex. Whether they mean to or not. It doesn't have to be a concise choice, it just comes with the territory of being a teenage girl. All that blossoming womanhood creates this sexual monster - that walks among us! Sometimes it even lives in your house, eats your food, borrows your car! It's just who they are at that point in life. And most films, feeling the pressure of not seeming creepy, usually shy away from this fact. Opting for shots of the actresses that don't make you feel like you need to immediately shower after seeing them. But not here. In fact, it's what I quickly came to respect about what the director was doing. He set out to tell this unflinching look at these rambunctious teenage girls and wasn't going to sugar-coat it with soft focus and shots that leave something to the imagination. He was going to really look at these characters and this world, even if it meant making the viewer slightly uncomfortable. That, I felt, was an impressive perspective and a healthy was to stretch people's artistic boundaries. And that's what we get for the first half of this movie. A beautifully photographed examination of female youth with a lingering, almost omnipresent hint of violence. It set the stage for an unconventional and stunning film. But around the half way point it starts to it slow down and massively change the focus and intent of the story, and that is where it loses me. But more on that later.

     First I should mention the cast. Those who are familiar with me probably already know I have what may be considered an unusual appreciation for Selena Gomez. At least for someone who isn't a 14-year old girl. But all those lecherous jokes aside, in actuality - she is in fact very talented. At the age when most kids are worried about passing their big math test, she was already stealing an entire sitcom away from a cast of established actors. She truly does have amazing comedic timing and delivery, and a general charisma that makes it difficult to not like her. So it seemed extra strange when this Disney Channel star was going to be working with the weird and indie likes of Harmony Korine. But truthfully Gomez doesn't stray too far from her comfort zone. In "Spring Breakers" she plays the lone good girl of the bunch. The one that is kind and nice and involved with her Christian youth group. And somehow seems to balance the fact that she is still friends with the three girls she grew up with, all of which have gone down the more traditionally mischievous path that most teens do.

     Selena does a fine job here, being the dreamy and hopeful one. Even delivering a few more dramatic moments when called upon to do so. But I feel it would have been so much more interesting to see her play any one of the other girls. I feel her character Faith, is just a shade away from how we already see her in the public eye. She still has such a squeaky-clean image, that this role comes off a little too routine. It would have been nice to see her stretch a little and portray someone who was possibly more unlikable. Or at least a challenge to understand her motives. But I guess just turning up in a Harmony Korine movie was quite a leap into the unknown to begin with, so we'll let it slide.

     Now someone who didn't play it safe was the other former Mouseketeer, Vanessa Hudgens. In fact, Vanessa's portrayal of Candy was my favorite part of the movie, aside from the striking visuals. At one point in her performance, I actually stopped and thought to myself, 'Vanessa has a darkness in her'. Something I never expected to come out of her. Unlike Selena, I hadn't paid much attention to her early years - the bulk of which also centered around The Disney Channel. But here, Hudgens pushes forward with a portrayal that is fearless. She plays it simple and honest. Sexy and knowing... of every situation that she can use that to her advantage. And with a genuine grounded sense that made me totally buy her as nothing short - of Candy.

     At first I thought Ashley Benson was just going along with the pack. Possibly even getting over-shadowed by the appeal of Gomez and Hudgens. But by the end of the film, she had slowly but surely proven herself. Near the conclusion, there is a scene where she makes a phone call, that is probably her best moment in the movie. It's not a long scene, but it shows she can hold her own in this cast.

     The only member of the group I was relatively uninvested in was Rachel Korine. No offense to the director's wife, but she just wasn't engaging to me. She just seemed like the actress that he had the inside track on, to convince her to do the majority of the nudity expected from someone in the main cast. Which is pretty much how it turned out. And it also makes me think those scenes should have been really awkward to shoot. Watching your wife get naked a few feet from the boom guy that you'll be standing next to the rest of the production seems uncomfortable. But then, Harmony's an unusual guy. Maybe it didn't bother him.

     And then there's James Franco. With his cornrows and his metal grill and his bad tattoos. His rapper/criminal persona is certainly interesting. But I can't decide if Franco's performance is amazing or laughable? In the end, I think the answer is both. He certainly commits to the very different look and mannerisms of this role. And there are times when he embraces the absurdity of his character - like he's in on the joke.  And there are other times when it seems like the joke has gone too far. When people will be laughing AT his over-the-top execution, rather then with it.

     But the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't deny - that the introduction of Franco's character becomes the turning point in this movie. The girls get into a bad situation, and when Alien (that is in fact, how he referrers to himself) steps in to help... the movie begins it's downward spiral. As it progresses, the plot itself begins to drag it's feet. Eventually digging it's heels into the Florida sand so much that it almost seems to come to a complete stop. The pace became so excruciatingly slow, that there were times when I wanted to yell at the screen in hopes that Harmony Korine himself could hear me as I urged him to, 'Move this thing along'!

     And suddenly the clever editing that I once found so interesting began to feel more like a bag of tricks. A continuing series of layered, time-jumping cuts that while still looking great - were in actuality just a smokescreen to hide the fact that there is little to no story going on in the second half of this movie. What had started out as a slow-paced character study had quickly turned into the one thing I never thought a Harmony Korine movie would be - cliché.

     Once the character of Alien is brought in, the story turns on a dime to then center around wanna-be gangsters. It begins to look at this life of crime with the cloudy gaze of a stoned frat boy watching De Palma's "Scarface". In fact, it's so lazy about that connection - they just say it out loud! Alien begins to brag how he has "Scarface" running on a loop 24 hours a day! You could assume that Korine is poking fun at the ridiculous thug life of these type of characters... but I don't think so. While there is a little bit of tongue in cheek delivery to these scenes about the excess and primping that accompanies this specific world of corruption. There also seems to be a little bit of hero-worship going on. Glamorizing the gangster lifestyle like a run-of-the-mill rap video. Again, not something I would have expected from this director.

     But as I sat in the theater watching Alien's scenes, it reminded me quite a bit of John Stalberg's 2010 film "High School". While that movie is a straight-up comedy, it features another corn-rowed, white boy, drug dealer - played surprisingly by Adrien Brody. And THAT is an inspired performance. If you want to take a humorous slant on a scary drug dealing, small-time crime lord... THAT is how you do it.

     The portrayal of crime and violence in the second half of "Spring Breakers" just seems to become more and more misguided. To use a gun analogy, since the writer/director seems to be so enamored with them these days. It's like giving a toddler a loaded pistol and then expecting him or her to also understand the grave responsibility that comes with carrying such an item. And that's how Korine wields this movie. With a childlike fascination of violence, but none of the understanding that hopefully comes with the experiences of growing up.

     I feel like he's going through all the motions of making a film that really has something to say... except he doesn't. He shows what should be "heavy" images on screen - but in fact, there's no weight to them. And If you don't anchor the film with characters that have substance and actions that have purpose, all your left with is hollow images. Visuals that look nice, but in the end - serve no real purpose.

     So eventually that's what this film ends up being. It leaves behind all the promise of the opening and just continually becomes slow and devoid of real meaning. Something more akin to a ridiculously over-long music video. Flooded with great imagery... but the plot definitely is not the main objective. It takes a backseat to hip visuals and the irony of juxtaposition.

     I think the director started off from a much better place. Focusing more on the characters of these young girls and attempting to examine the hedonistic life that is allowed to go on during "Spring Break". Horrible things happen every year and all out of sheer tradition at this point. That level of "partying" is almost expected. And a blind eye seems to be turned to these the horrors by the rest of society because, "It's just Spring Break" or "They're just kids, that's what they do" - is bullshit. The extreme levels of this party lifestyle is a huge piece of the dumbing-down of American culture, and seeing someone expose it for the nightmare it actually is - would be great. And this film starts off that way. Korine's shots of the beach side antics and hotel room depravity are more then just mimicking old clips of MTV's Spring Break coverage. They really felt like they were trying to show something specific... they almost felt judgmental. And that's exactly what I wanted them to be. But then suddenly he veers off into a silly, prettified crime spree subplot that not only leaves the original focus of the story behind, but also loses that chastising tone that is so needed. Replacing it with starry-eyed admiration of a lifestyle that I can only imagine the director has no real concept of.

     But probably the most entertaining thing about the whole process, was in fact seeing THIS movie in a mainstream multi-plex. The fact that a Harmony Korine film was playing one theater over from some explosion-filled blockbuster or whatever lame kids movie still managed to pull in a 40 million dollar opening... is kind of hilarious. Just because he has gotten to the point he can get name actors to be in his movies, they get put into that level of marketing and widespread release. Or at least this one did. And I would bet that some of the theater managers and certainly a good portion of the audiences themselves, had no idea what was in store for them when this movie showed up at their local theater.

     During this particular showing I was sitting somewhat near the front, also where the hallway to the exit is, and in a theater that wasn't packed to begin with, I'm pretty sure I saw at least two walk-outs - and that was before the halfway point. And the greatest moment of all was at the very end of the movie. There was a two-second pause between when the last shot cuts to black and when the soundtrack kicks in for the closing credits. In that moment of silence, from the back of the theater I heard someone say with sheer exhaustion in their voice "Jesus". I could barely contain the snickering. Obviously this is not a movie for everyone. But I guess that is true of all of Harmony's work. His fans will watch it, and many will probably enjoy it. Or parts of it. But I doubt this is a big transitional move in his career. It may have opened the door for him to continue working with bigger actors, but he's certainly not crossing over into the mainstream. And I'm sure that's the way he likes it.