Product: Kids (1995)
Rating: 4.0
A convincing horrifying 24 hour saga
Larry Clark's powerful film is about kids(obviously). The movie feels like a documentary. That's because the movie knows its subject very well. Early on after Telly(Leo Fitzpatrick) makes love to a young girl with shameless voyeurism he walks out the door to meet his best friend Casper(Justin Pierce). They begin to walk through downtown Manhattan on a really hot day. Telly talks about how he likes to [have sex with] young girls how he like to do it. They say it even as they pass by adults. Casper even takes a leak in the open in front of everybody. This first scene after the credits is the most powerful in the film. We realize that to these kids at least adults don't exist. If we look even deeper we pickup that these two have no curiosities, interests, values, ideals or rules to live by. They simply do what they want when they want. It is hard to listen to young kids speak like this but still thats the way many kids talk and act in America these days. We go on and see that these two are part of a larger circle of friends. We meet them mainly in Central Park. Here is another poignant scene. Casper gets into a fight with another kid in the park for running into him on his skateboard. His friends come and help him and they beat up this kid so bad that he nearly dies. Do they care no they even spit on him when there done. These kids are basically wild animals on the loose. They have no feelings no regrets all they care about apparently is [having sex]young girls and getting money from their parents. Larry Clark's powerful first film is right on one of the most disturbing i've ever seen in my life. It's also all true. Later we meet Jennie(Chloe Sevigny). She had sex only once with Telly but now she is infected with HIV. As for Telly he could care less as he tries to make love to two virgins in one day. She runs after Telly to save the next girl who he tries to make love to. Unfortunately shes too late. Eventually they all wind up at someones house where these kids makeout have sex, do drugs and other crap. Even young kids who look only ten are in on the act. Yes its difficult to watch but Larry Clark's film tells nuttin but the truth. It is difficult to believe that some kids go through this day in and day out but they do and they represent a failure at home church, school, society, and with friends.They would've been netter off being raised in an animal farm raised only to basic and needful instincts of survival.As for performance these are the most realistic i've ever seen in my life. We believe everything they say and or do is happening. The characters all look especially Telly and Casper fifteen years old. Leo Fitzpatrick gives the best performance in the movie. As Telly he sounds rude crude and has a bad attitude. His only interest in life is to "devirginize" young women. Everything he says sounds unwholesome and bad we almost want to deny this type of kid exists in America. Justin Pierce gives an excellent performance as Casper. He is basically along for the ride but nevertheless central to the action. He has the final line in the movie. It is "Jesus Christ, what just happened". We wonder along with him to as we stare at him knowing he too has HIV now because he just made love to infected Jennie. Chloe Sevigny gives a powerful performance as Jennie. She is helpless, distraught and shocked. She runs around Manhattan looking for Telly and we struggle with her in an undeniably difficult quest."Kids" needs to be talked about after its been seen for real man. "Kids" doen't tell us exactly what it is all about. There is some form of a message involving safe sex(obviously a film loaded with promiscuous sex is). But safe sex won't change these kids lifestyles or make them better people. When you watch Telly you realize something about him. His only things in life are to have intercourse, drink booze, do drugs and skateboard. The last thing he says is another powerful phrase in the film. He says "take sex away from me and I really got nothing." Looking at his life you can't help but accept this as true no matter how hard. You listen to his voice and everything he says and understand why veryone needs their own mixture of philosophy,religion,ideals,curiosities,values,and rules in life that works for them and them only. All teenagers should see this film and if i could i would make standard viewing for everyone between the ages of 13 and 17. This way we understand that without something to open our eyes to the better possibilities of life we might as well sit back and all just be like Telly and swing around with absolutely no curiosities or interests and have sex,drink booze,do drugs and watse away.Note: This story takes place in Manhattan. We realize that quickly. But this horrifying story of young fifteen or sixteen year old kids could quite possibly happen anywhere in America at any moment in time. In fact its probably going on now in at a least hundred different areas in the United States and most likely the world.