Thoughts : SLC Punk! (1998)
When I first saw the film Scream, many aspects of it stood out to me and stuck with me, but one of the main things that left an impression was the performance of Matthew Lillard. The cast was stacked with talent, but he definitely stood out... in fact, he stood out to the point where I felt the need to see what other movies he’d been in. That small bit of curiosity led me to one of my favorite films of the 1990s, SLC Punk!
It’s 1985 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and best friends Stevo (Matthew Lillard) and ‘Heroin’ Bob (Michael A. Goorjian), two of the main members of the Punk scene in the desolate city, have just graduated from university. Their goal is to cause anarchy in the city by way of nihilism, chaos and hi-jinx. As the summer progresses, the pair navigate their way through parties as we learn about their social circle : Mike (Jason Segel), a seemingly straight-laced young man with a brooding intensity; Mark (Til Schweiger) an enigmatic foreigner with lots of money and drugs; Sandy (Jennifer Lien), a free spirit that Stevo has feelings for; Trish (Annabeth Gish), an older member of the community that Bob deeply admires; and Sean (Devon Sawa), who finds himself a beggar in the fallout of a bad acid trip and mental hospital stay. The Punks explore their interactions with the Rednecks, Mods, Neo-Nazis, New Wavers, Rockers, Heavy Metal Guys and more via diplomatic gestures and fistfights. As the days go by, Stevo finds himself more and more jaded as the scene splinters apart, his father (Christopher McDonald) pressures him to apply for Harvard Law School, and his friends begin to grow apart. Despite his best attempts, Stevo is finally forced to face some harsh realities and make difficult decisions about his future.
The use of a society easily identified by tropes works very well in this film, with the aforementioned social circles representing different social and economical statuses, vastly different sets of morals, political stances, and more. The Punk community seems to be fueled by rebellion in the search of personal validation, rather than looking inward. Their scene was developed through seemingly drastic actions and stances, and in what we learn will play out as the scene’s death rattle, their final action is inaction, maybe even anti-action. The juxtaposition of the Punks being well-educated and able to back up their stances with empirical statements and their complete willingness to solve problems with violence is an engrossing one.
The anti-American sentiment in search of an ‘alternative’ version of the American dream is displayed in the form of violence against Rednecks, using Ronald Reagan as a symbol of the ‘enemy’, squatting rather than taking part in the traditional housing market, and so on. Even characters like Mike show that the seemingly ‘square’ kid can feel a complete disconnect from ‘square’ society, often resulting in shocking explosions based in pent up frustration and a deep dedication to those whom they connect with. The occasional glimpses of Stevo using lawyer-like tactics in his narration puts an interesting hue on the proceedings, as it plays against his clear refusal to let go of the Punk scene.
The classic punk rock covers altered to make the opening titles is a perfect mood setter. The cast is absolutely stacked in this film, with many members of the young ensemble moving forward to bigger and better things. Narratively, the main story is relatively thin, but it provides many opportunities that skew into highly entertaining and informative vignettes or flashbacks. Much of the costuming is on point across the social groups, with a personal favorite of mine being ‘Heroin’ Bob’s Travis Bickle-inspired costuming. The soundtrack is banger after banger, many of which became personal favorite songs.
Matthew Lillard displayed all of the potential in the world to be a breakout star with the charisma, comedic chops and emotional range that he brings to this performance. Michael A. Goorjian displays equally dynamic comedic timing, jarring attitude swings, and a gifted ability to run off long monologues with minimal effort and maximum realism. Jason Segel puts his prowess of subtle yet easily readable intensity on full display. Til Schweiger throws such a quirky dynamic into the film that he basically steals a solid ten minutes or so of it away from the main narrative, turning it into a small showcase of his Mark character. Adam Pascal brings a wonderful upbeat energy in his brief appearance, while Devon Sawa plays the other side in the form of a devastatingly sad portrayal of a fallen innocent. Annabeth Gish brings a wisdom to her performance that couches her as a sort of earthbound goddess of the scene. Jennifer Lien interjects a freedom of spirit that has no regard for the emotional impact it has on others. Brief appearances by Christopher McDonald, James Duval, Summer Phoenix, and childhood Stevo/’Heroin’ Bob portrayals by Christopher Ogden and Francis Capra round things out.
In a world of films based on comic books, SLC Punk! seemed to be way ahead of the curve. At some point, I need to go check out the source material, but I love that I have this film in my collection to enjoy whenever I like.
