Review of Trash Humpers (2010) by Mike M — 08 Jun 2010

This performance art piece reads like a post-apocalyptic sequel to Gummo, in which the glue-sniffing children of Xenia, Ohio have grown old and moved south of the Mason-Dixon, to a desolate, decaying place where confederate-flagged sweaters pass for daywear, and the elderly teach children how to screech out church songs while simultaneously bashing dolls' faces in with hammers.

The Trash Humpers themselves consist of two men and a woman, played by young actors but with gruesomely disturbing "elderly makeup" applied along with the types of nylon pants, Velcro-strapped shoes, and "old man hats" one would expect to find populating a Floridian nursing home.

And Harmony Korine, the director, is the fourth trash humper operating the camera whilst screaming, "Get It Get It!" and singing "Jesus Loves Me" as his cohorts hump garbage cans, pour dish soap on pancakes, pretend to murder babies and seduce dogs, wildly dance on freshly broken glass, woo fire hydrants, worship street lights, and mingle with a few authentic locals ranging from musically talented alcoholics to belligerently racist and homophobic braggarts.

Depending on one's sense of humor, this film is utterly hilarious - one of the most belly-achingly funny 80 minutes I've ever encountered. What's more, despite a tendency toward repetition and the absolute lack of plot (how refreshing!), this overall silly film actually has something pretty profound to say.

The trash humpers represent everyone's basic fear of aging, the inability to change their natures, the tendency for behavior to exist free of explanation or understanding, and the catharsis of living as one pleases rather than as one should.

An utterly stunning and audacious accomplishment.