Spring Breakers

When looking back on 2013 in the career of James Franco, it’s likely that the main focus will be on his role as the classic Wizard of Oz in Oz the Great and Powerful. That seems understandable given the movie’s success. But what if I were to tell you that Oz wasn’t even Franco’s best performance of the month? Well that’s what I’m telling you. In Spring Breakers Franco plays a Florida based rapper who also spends his time partaking in seedy underground activities. He’s got guns, drugs, cornrows and a white grand piano outside next to his pool. The film mostly focuses on four college girls who go to Florida on spring break, but after a first act that is like a weird half-music video, half porno montage, they get involved with Franco’s character, Alien.

With the presence of Franco and former Disney stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens, the film has gained some main stream attention. But it is clearly written as the most indie of indie films. It’s edited in a way that changes pace multiple times within singular scenes. Breakers is even the victim of its own spoilers by jumping around in the timeline at will. Then there is the often used scene transition which combines the sound of a gun cocking and Franco’s trippy words, “spring breaaaaak.” It’s a weird movie to see at a Cineplex, but ultimately it works. I don’t think Middle America is quite ready for girls in bikinis and ski masks dancing in a circle to a Britney Spears song while wielding heavy weaponry.

It would seem that the teen actresses didn’t all of a sudden become Oscar worthy performers because they did this film outside of their comfort zone. Hudgens is absolutely laughable as the skankiest of the group. She plays the slutty girl. That’s really all there is to her. Gomez does a bit better as the Christian trying to live a little, but isn’t at all convincing until she gets completely freaked out by Alien and his creepy friends. The rest of the breaker crew consists of “Pretty Little Liars” star Ashley Benson and director Harmony Korine’s wife, Rachel Korine. These two are definitely the strongest of the leads, but they’re not really worth writing home about either. This brings us to the wizard. Franco handles the most interesting character and does well in moments of weakness, but what’s most surprising is that the audience believes this ridiculous performance. I think that says something about how James Franco comes across off screen, a bit odd.

Each film earns either zero, a half or a full arrow in five categories. The categories are Acting, Writing/Directing, Emotion, Innovation and Overall Impression. The arrows are added up to equal the full score.