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I have lived in Salt Lake City, Utah all my life. It's been twenty years as of this writing, and while I admit that the culture here is a bit stifling towards anyone non-Mormon, it is more friendly than any city I have ever visited to date. I used to be a strict Mormon until I grew up and decided to venture out into the world on my own. Lately, there have been many films which have taken stabs at Utah's conservative views and its general way of life. Most notably was the orgasmic pile of crap also known as Orgazmo. James Merendino also grew up in Salt Lake City, just like I have. His experience seems to be vastly different to mine, but we both seem to share similar opinions. Unfortunately for him, his opinions are lost in a film that is overloaded with stylistic flourishes and an utterly boring plot.
Down to its basic element, S.L.C. Punk!, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, is a high-budget student film. As a film student at the University of Utah, I have been witness to many a crappy student film. Yet, I would bet that all those student films that I have had to indulge are immensely better than James Merendino's cataclysmic mess of a film he has made here. The one thing that I really enjoy in a film is a director with a sense of style, one who creates a feel just from the technical aspects. David Fincher is a master of style, as is Terry Gilliam (despite his last film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). But Merendino's style is so appallingly bad that anything that might be redeemable in the film is lost. Even Matthew Lillard, who has made a name for playing outrageous characters, can't do anything to save this.
Sadly, Merendino seems to have something very insightful to say about the 80s punk culture of Salt Lake City. It's a shame that his message is buried under his frantic style, which consumes every single aspect of the film, from the performances to the music. S.L.C. Punk! begins with Stevo (Lillard), a laid back self-proclaimed punk who is rebelling against "the system" (the system being society in general). His best friend is Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjian), a young man who is afraid of needles and can't stand drugs. Both live in a run-down, seemingly abandoned warehouse.
Most of what occurs in S.L.C. Punk! is not plot-bound, but instead has a meandering feel, never being restricted by the limits of normal Hollywood storytelling. At times, this method is appropriate, giving the film a rebellious feel. It is not going to conform to our expectations. But more often than not, we are left to try and piece together all the characters and happenings. The experience is like a giant jigsaw puzzle, only you aren't sure what the final product is supposed to look like. Stevo is our only link into the film's humanity, and yet he himself seems lost in a world of confusion. His relationship with Bob is genuinely affective at first, but as the film plods along, their friendship begins to fade. It is only in the final moments that we are granted the first real human emotion. It is this lack of emoting that creates the film's lack of reality. Certainly, I was not old enough to experience the rise and fall of punk, but there is nothing to be learned here. Yes, this is a result of my knowledge of everything portrayed in the film (including the 3-point alcohol instead of the normal 6-point). Does that hinder my ability to effectively review this film? Perhaps, but a truly great film should be able to enrapture every audience, not just audiences outside of the specified location.
Apparently, S.L.C. Punk! is a dark comedy of sorts, taking liberal shots at the culture in and around Utah. I mention this specifically because I can recall laughing twice, and only twice. In fact, the entire audience was dead quiet throughout the entire screening (except for three teenagers who wandered in halfway through the film). Those two humorous moments reminded us of what was really missing: good comedy. A road trip into Evanston, Wyoming is quite funny, taking cheap shots at the Wyoming residents. What makes it funny is not Stevo and Bob, but the reactions of the locals, afraid that Stevo and Bob may be aliens from another planet. Their answer to the locals' questions? "We're from England." The only other funny moment occurs as Stevo, Bob, and Mark (Til Schweiger) dump a stolen car into the Great Salt Lake. Alas, the car floats. "Why isn't it sinking?" asks Sean. "That lake has more salt in it than any other in the world. It makes everything buoyant," Stevo replies. It's a shame the rest of the film isn't nearly as funny.
What is most disturbing and disappointing is that the premise here has so much to offer, since Salt Lake City has been the butt of many jokes since its creation. What Merendino attempts to do here is create a semi-autobiographical satire of his experience growing up in the half-Mormon state (yes, Utah is only half Mormon, despite popular belief). His attempts are labored at best, never adding up to much. A better example of satire would be Trent Harris' Plan 10 From Outer Space, a hilarious send-up of the Mormon culture (Harris happens to be a professor at my university, so I may be slightly biased). Merendino never even approaches Harris' over-the-top antics which create the comedy.
There is only one thing noteworthy here, and that's Matthew Lillard's wild yet strangely subdued performance. Lillard has the ability to create some of the most eccentric characters on screen, most notably his manic film freak in Wes Craven's Scream. Here, he's more toned down than normal, but his anarchic attitude does create some very "Lillard" moments. Supporting him is a cast of relatively unknowns. Michael A. Goorjian is merely okay as Lillard's best friend, but the actor is overshadowed by Lillard's persona. Annabeth Gish is virtually wasted in her role, as is Jennifer Lien. Til Schweiger tries his best at creating an actual character, but sadly he's too much of a caricature. If it weren't for Lillard, I can imagine giving this film an even lower rating. Lillard is what keeps this film from descending to pure cinematic crap.
S.L.C. Punk! is rated R for pervasive language, drug use, violent anti-social behavior and some sexuality. Certainly, many critics will praise the film for its stylistic elements, which create a rather anarchist feeling. Many critics will praise the performance from Lillard. But they will forget that the basic function of a film is to tell a story. S.L.C. Punk! does contain a story somewhere in this mess, although it feels more like a disjointed puzzle of pieces that don't fit together. Director Merendino obviously has some sense of style, but as is, his style swamps this film. There is nothing as bad as a director who puts style over substance. Unfortunately, that's what happens here.
Rating: out of