James Franco as rapper/gangster Alien is equal parts hilarious, convincing, disturbing and sexy (which is weird to say because I really didn’t think I would be able to get past the grill and corn rows white boy vibe). It’s pretty raunchy too, which I guess shouldn’t surprise considering what apparently goes on during spring break among college kids (alas, I only know the rumors). It starts with a montage of boobs and beer and continues with the whole boobs theme throughout the movie. I desperately want the four main girls, Brit, Candy, Cotty, and Faith, to be my absolute best friends… this movie certainly put into perspective how boring my own life is.
Faith/Selena Gomez has the brown hair and is a Christian fish out of water, simultaneously wanting to have fun but not wanting to push the boundaries, although she unintentionally gives the speech that motivates her friends to rob a chicken restaurant. Faith is uncomfortable with how her friends got the money after she learns the details. Before too long and after they spend a night in jail, she bails and that’s the last we see of her. The other three hang around Alien until a drive by shooting sends Cotty/Rachel Korine packing. Several robberies and a threesome later, the action really picks up.
The question throughout the whole movie is, how far are they going to go? The movie takes a turn after the first two leave, focusing on the power dynamics between Brit/Ashley Benson and Candy/Vanessa Hudgens and Alien. To provide some insight, the girls force Alien to his knees by sticking loaded guns in his mouth and demanding he suck. It’s a little rape-y, and if the roles were reversed it would be genuinely disturbing. Except, it’s disturbing anyway because these girls love the money, drugs, power, automatic weapons, and adrenaline of Alien’s business. It’s also what makes it interesting.
This film makes you laugh and feel totally disturbed at the same time, a delicate balance to pull but done quite well.
Favorite Quotes
I’ve found who I am here. – all the girls
You two girls are my motherfuckin soulmates. – Alien
This is the fuckin’ American dream. This is my fuckin’ dream, y’all! All this sheeyit! Look at my sheeyit! I got… I got SHORTS! Every fuckin’ color. I got designer T-shirts! I got gold bullets. Motherfuckin’ VAM-pires. I got Scarface. On repeat. SCARFACE ON REPEAT. Constant, y’all! I got Escape! Calvin Klein Escape! Mix it up with Calvin Klein Be. Smell nice? I SMELL NICE!
– Alien
I think that’s the secret to life- being a good person. – Brit
Aside from being a great genre departure for the previous Disney stars Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez from virgins to raunchy young adults (can’t there be a balance!? Gotta market yourself somehow post Disney I guess…) this film is worth seeing.
See it, enjoy it, and wish your spring breaks were half as fun as this movie.
hsg
Hula Hooping Hannah 