SLC Punk | | Cast : | Matthew Lillard, Michael A. Goorjian | | Director : | James Merendino | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | April 16, 1999 | | DVD Released Date : | April 29, 2003 | | Language : | French (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 27, 2005 | | Summary | Fantastic coming of age movie with some very funny parts | Content
 | This is a coming of age story set in the 1980's punk scene. I loved the punks in it and I won't engage in the "Stevo is a poseur or not" battle, because that's not what the movie is about (and Stevo gives the answer to that question in the final scene, anyway). Where is a more hilarious place to be a punk that the straightlaced Salt Lake City?
This movie has a lot of lighthearted and very comic moments, intertwined into a deeper story about finding your place in life. The relationship between Stevo and his dad is terrific, and I loved watching the scenes where Stevo railed on him for selling out from his hippie ideals. Stevo had a lot of hilarious and intelligent monologues in the movie, on what ideals are, what anarachy means and how fighting actually opposes anarchy, why UK punk music sucks, and what he plans to do with his life.
Watch this with your parents--everyone should get a kick out of seeing a post-college son struggle with opposing or embracing his father's ideals. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 14, 2005 | | Summary | Most reviewers seem to miss a very important point | Content
| I am not trying to insult anyone here, but I have read dozens of reviews of this excellent movie, and it seems a lot of folks miss the point.
This is a great movie, and I'll tell you why: it is a very very authentic insight, not into the punk scene in 1980s America (which there was one, but it wasn't very widespread or mainstream), but into adolescence and the transitions into maturity we all have to make. It is a very good study on what happens to the identities we assume for ourselves as teenagers when we discover, in our early twenties, that they no longer fit.
If you haven't seen it yet, you may not want to read this review any further.
Stevo was a poser! I can't say it any plainer than that. He admits it too, so anyone who wastes the energy to type "Stevo wasn't very convincing as a punk," or criticizes the punk scene as portrayed as not accurate, completely miss the point of this movie. They weren't punks! They were teenagers, trying to find an identity for themselves. They knew what their parents and city were offering wasn't for them, but they had no clue what was, so they were trying something out. And for most of them (let us not forget Mike, my favorite character) the whole punk thing didn't stick.
If you view the movie through that lense, it was fantastic. Lillards performance was outstanding. The music was great. The script was very witty and entertaining. And yes, I imagine the punk movement in SLC, if there ever was one, was pretty lame. I know it was in the midwest where I grew up. That doesn't take away from the movie - it makes it more authentic and accessible. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 06, 2005 | | Summary | Fair to Middling | Content
| This movie tries. It tries really hard. But it doesn't quite make it. Matthew Lillard is ok as Stevo, even though I wouldn't expect him to play a punk character, I guess it's ok that you have to attempt to believe him because his character is supposed to be kind of a poser. I found the Heroin Bob character far more interesting. Bob was quiet, and mysterious, and had a mohawk akin to the one De Niro had in "Taxi Driver". I think the problem with this movie is that Lillard's character tries to explain too much. I think it would be far more interesting if we could just watch the movie and let the characters flow. For example, when the rednecks bust in on the punk party, and everyone gets in a fight, I wish they would just let it happen, instead of Lillard's character saying, "here's why we get in fights." I also think the foreign character, I don't know, who was Swedish or something, was a waste of time in the movie. And they spent like 20 minutes on it. On the other hand, the soundtrack is pretty good. The visuals are interesting. There are some gems in there. Noone ever really explains how Stevo and Heroin Bob can live in an apartment somewhere and eat food without seemingly to have any money or any jobs, but I guess we are supposed to believe that they got by on parties, drugs and music. Not very realistic. All the "punks" I know in real life don't analyze their lifestyle, are not rich and all have jobs. Well, it was just a movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 01, 2005 | | Summary | WOW | Content
| okay i used to be a poser i admit it but due to this movie i learned so much about myself. back before this movie i spiked my hair and tried to be punk, it didnt really work. i saw this movie and learned that its not how you dress, if you dye your hair blue, fight all the time. its whats in the heart that counts. you could wear abercrombie and fitch for all i care and still be a punk. just dont give up with you're beliefs of rebellion and everything. punk isnt a clothing line, punk isnt blink 182, punk is a way of life.
now on to the movie
stevo played by matthew lillard is the greatest, but heroin bob is so much better. the ending is pretty ironic though. there is one really really confusing part in the movie and if you dont like being confused you will probobly shut the movie off. stevo and his girl go up on a mountain where the donner party was, i cant tell if they are stoned out of thier minds or just like yeah, im not sure. the way the movie is played out is amazing. BUY THIS MOVIE!!!!! and anarchy isnt the only way to go...but at the sate this nation is now i cant see how all of you are not saying fck this government |
| Rating | | | Date | April 14, 2005 | | Summary | I love this movie! | Content
| I first saw this movie with two of my best friends and instantly thought it was great!
What i don't appreciate is the comment made by a Ms. cassandra-suchy mabrouk!..that was really uncalled for...if you didn't like it then why didn't you just simply stop watching it...i think it is one of the best movies I have seen in a while...it was very real. |
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