The movie is an itchy blanket of nihilism thrown over us. Kids invites disdain for its characters, not understanding. Some of the come-on stuff is funny, in a low way. I ll give you some food, buy you a corn dog. Clark wants us to react.
Kids is a horror movie for people who want to think the worst.
Artists too often shame us into accepting sketchy motivation as ambiguity. Larry Clark doesn t get inside his kids heads. He just films their bodies, records their leering voices, then stands back and calls it a portrait. It s as if this powerful technology existed only to help Cher look fabulous for school. She may aim satirical arrows at Cher and her bubbly friends, but the arrows have suction cups on their tips.