Review of Spring Breakers (2013) by Gillian M — 10 Feb 2017

I wasn't always sure what was going on or why but this film about four college students who go on a spree filled with crime and substance abuse, eerie encounters and hallucinogenic trips in an effort to escape their drab lives made a strong, candy-coated impression on me.

The use of colour in this film is unlike anything I have ever seen before, from the red, white, and blue popsicles sucked on by the heroines to the pink mansion surrounded by a green moat at the end, every scene on the actual spring break is like an explosion in a glow stick factory.

It's as if Harmony Korine wanted to go one better on the 'Wizard of Oz', starting off in colour instead of the black and white of Kansas in the old MGM musical, then, when the students get to Florida, exaggerating everything almost till your senses can't take it anymore.

Unfortunately while the bulk of the creative effort appears to have been spent on the impressive and beautiful visual design (including superb, Oscar-worthy costume design), the story and characters were left more than a bit thin.

There seems to be a confused message presented about guns and fun, the American Dream and its materialistic, morally vacant underpinnings but I'm afraid I couldn't quite make it out. On the one hand, people die and that isn't good but on the other hand this all seems to be way too much fun.

Who cares about right or wrong, just dance.