Review of Gummo (1997) by Crystal J — 02 May 2009

I won't speak to the films subject matter or gritty elements, because everyone else already has. What I will say is this:

If you're going to watch, go into it realizing there's not going to be a real "story" with a beginning, middle, and end. The scenes of the movie don't come together in a linear way, and most people won't appreciate that. If you realize that before watching and just take in the strong sensory elements of the film, you won't be disappointed when Gummo doesn't present you with a obvious narrative. There is a reality to the film that is disturbing and sometimes sort of beautiful. Its characters are great and so is the dialogue...and by "great" I mean convincing and natural, not lovable.