Review of Spring Breakers (2013) by Foxgrove — 05 Apr 2013

Springbreakers starts like an MTV pop video complete with quick cutting and busy visuals and my first reactions were in the negative. The film is full of unlikeable characters and, along with prison, spring break seems like an activity that most rational people would wish to avoid.

The voice over narration from the girls' point of view presents it as a kind of utopia that the accompanying visuals deny. There is no denying the technical package, though. Stylised direction, eye catching cinematography and skillful editing help to ensure that the film looks slick and professional and yes, after abandoning my initial misgivings, the film does become hypnotically compelling.

James Franco, in another 'out there' performance, is just great as the rapper/gangster Alien and the music by Cliff Martinez adds a whole other dimension to the proceedings. One of the best scenes has James Franco playing piano and the three remaining girls singing a sweet Britney Spears song whilst inter cuts show the violence they have perpetrated.