Thursday, July 25, 2013

100 Movies That Make Me Love Film: 28. SLC Punk!


28. SLC Punk

I think Matthew Lillard has a painfully under appreciated career. Whenever I mention that I like him people typically laugh, but if we’re going to be honest let’s face it, he’s almost always the best person in his movies. He’s the best part of Scooby Doo, Scream, Serial Mom but his shiny role is in SLC Punk. This film came out at a time when most kids (myself included) knew Green Day and Blink 182 as their punk bands. While we were aware that bands like The Ramones and Sex Pistols where a thing this is the movie that introduced me to The Exposed and The Stooges.

SLC Punk follows a group of hardcore punks in the 80’s while living in Utah. Great performances and great editing keep this film interesting right from the start. While the plotline is mostly focused on a “day in the life of” for these kids you can tell they all come from real life of the writers and directors.

The film also takes liberties with the timelines jumping back and forth throughout the film. The film ends on one a sad note that you don’t completely expect. I don’t want to fully spoil what happens but it creates a genuine turning point for Lillard’s character. Lillard performs this transition so perfectly that it really is a shame he didn’t receive more praise after it’s release.

There will be people that hate this movie I’m sure but for me it represents a period in time that I wish I was old enough to have experienced first hand.

1 comment:

  1. I agree! I really enjoyed this movie as a teenager and I think it's time to revisit this one.

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