Review Tuesday: SLC Punk

Before my years of accounting I was a punk rock drummer. I remember running into some friends after years in the career and telling them what I did. After I would get a sideways glance I would say, you gotta fight the system from the INSIDE. Maybe that's why a friend suggested I watch this movie.

SLC Punk

The story of how two childhood friends gone punk get out of Salt Lake City during the 80s.

The life and times of Stevo (Michael Lillard) and Heroin Bob (Michael A. Goorjian), two Salt Lake City punks trying to get along while fucking shit up. This is one of those introspective and philosophical types of movies, trying to make some sense from the chaos. Our two main characters are shown as they grow up and out of their home town, be it under good or bad circumstances.  

The first thing you notice about this film is that there are so many names and faces that are familiar. For what appears to be a rather low budget affair, you have some big names. At least big names NOW. For instance, Annabeth Gish was in this before her stint on the X-Files and way before anyone even thought of Sons of Anarchy. You also have Jason Segal before Freaks and Geeks and How I Met Your Mother. 

The movie felt like a chronicle of what my generation felt and went through during the turbulent 80s. After surviving the horrid 70s, there was this unease across the land. A general distaste for anything that was an institution, or government run. There was a tremendous rift and everyone was taking sides and either you were on our side, or AGAINST us. I never fully grasped the whole nature of that beast. The fighting, the torment, the posers, the bullshit. It was endless. And when you thought about what people were willing to fight over, it made no sense at all. This movie perfectly illustrated all that. So you're beating that guy up because he's a redneck? But what did he do to deserve it other than being a redneck? Or by being a metalhead? Or a New Wave? I remember guys who wanted to tear down the government and replace our system with Socialism. But wait, you don't want government involved in your life but you want socialism? Are you kidding me?

SLC Punk covered so many of those paradoxes and quandaries that we faced during those crazy years that it was highly enjoyable and entertaining. The cast played their roles very well. I still have some trouble with older people playing teens. Some of those guys were supposed to be pretty young and looked like they were nearing 30. That always bugs me. But the feel and content were all spot on.

A good movie and well worth your time to watch. It also has a very cool soundtrack. Finally, the ending might surprise you yet will make you say, there you go, fight the system from the inside...

AMAZON

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