THE DOOM GENERATION
A film review by Will FitzHugh
Copyright 1996 Will FitzHugh
This is billed 'A Heterosexual Film by Gregg Araki' who I gather has made some low-budget homosexual films which I haven't seen. This one is a charming coming-of-age piece. At least charming when compared to any other movie that features blood-splattered convenience store robberies, motel-room sex and various psychotic characters met in cheesy retail stores. The main characters, Jordan and Amy, are two love-struck punkers ('three months' Jordan says reverently when asked how long they've been going out) who get caught up in a whirlwind escape from the law after they meet up with Xavier, a slightly twisted guy who gets them out of tight spots by blowing people away. One bit of sample dialog should give you the flavor:
Jordan: What's your name?
Xavier: Xavier.
Jordan: That's kind of complicated. Can I just call you X?
Xavier: OK. If I can call you Nut-licker.
Jordan: OK.
You get the idea. Kind of like a John Hughes movie but with sex, violence and bad language. Everything's very stilted. I assume it's on purpose. As David St. Hubbins said, it's a fine line between stupid and clever, but this film refuses to accept that and blurs them together entirely. Heidi Fleiss has a cameo. Araki pays homage to 'Easy Rider' by having our gang brutalized by redneck nazis at the end. Good double bill with 'Half Cocked' if they ever come out on video.
I saw this movie alone but it could be good for a date if you want to test his/her reaction to things generally considered vile. Might as well initiate the discussion of bodily fluids as soon as possible in a relationship. You're gonna have to deal with them anyway, right?
Copyright 1996 Will FitzHugh
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