Rent SLC Punk! on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: James Merendino
Directed by: James Merendino
Starring: Matthew Lillard, Michael A. Goorjian, Annabeth Gish, Christopher McDonald, Devon Sawa, Jason Segel, James Duval
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
In the early 1980s, Stevo and Heroin Bob are the only two dedicated punks in conservative Salt Lake City.
Verdict
If you can't fit in, rebel. Stevo rejects his parents and his peers to be a punk. It's really just his process in figuring out who he is and his place in the world. There are plenty of tells that his punk aesthetic is more of a costume, and by the end of the movie he realizes the limitations of that life. It's a solid idea that lacks the depth to make it better. There's just not enough to this as it's not much more than a coming of age story as Stevo transitions to adulthood.
It depends.
Review
Stevo (Matthew Lillard) and Bob (Michael A. Goorjian) are punks in Salt Lake City during 1985. It's not easy, and there aren't many. This has a punk style with Stevo frequently breaking the fourth wall to address the camera.
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| Michael A. Goorjian, Matthew Lillard play Heroin Bob, Stevo |
Stevo's parents don't get it. They're also part of the reason he's rebelling. It's a cycle. His parents were hippies before. In Stevo's eyes they solid out and went corporate. Part of growing up is pushing against your parents and rules. Stevo is just trying to figure it out and where he fits in the world. His parents didn't end up happy, so why would he follow in their footsteps?
This movie is Stevo and Bob's misadventures in a world that doesn't understand them. They're kids acting out. They couldn't fit in so they went the other direction to stand out. It's a reaction to society that's also shaped by society. Despite his excellent grades, Stevo rejects going to law school. It serves two purposes. It's his stance against society's expectations and irritates his parents.
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| Michael A. Goorjian, Matthew Lillard play Heroin Bob, Stevo |
Stevo meets a girl and is immediately smitten. She challenges his look and the time he puts in to achieve it. She states it's just a look and doesn't achieve anything. That comment and a series of events at the end of the movie cause Stevo to question his punk ambitions. He leaves it behind, realizing how much work it was, how it limited him, and how he can rebel in many different ways.
A movie that purports to be 'punk' leaves us with the message to conform. Stevo can rebel in other ways, but his plan is to attend law school. It's easy to guess what happens next. Stevo rebelled just like his parents did and ultimately all of them joined corporate America. Is the movie about being a punk or just growing up? This movie presents an idea, but it doesn't explore it.
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