Pecker Review
by Seth Bookey (sethbook AT panix DOT com)November 26th, 1998
Welcome to Baltimore, Mary!
Review of Pecker (1998)
"Life isn't anything if you're not obsessed," declares young Pecker (Edward Furlong). He ought to know. He's obsessed with taking photos of everything he sees, froom a burger sizzling in griddle grease to rats rutting in the trash. The movie opens in an almost sitcom fashion as we are introduced to all the other obsessed people in his life. There's his girlfriend Shelly (Christina Ricci), who controls her Spin and Grin laundromat with neurotic verve; sister Tina (Martha Plimpton) is enthusiastically gay friendly as she emcees the gay male go-go bar dancers; friend Matt (Brendan Sexton III) sees his shoplifting tendencies as a career choice; his father is obsessively anti-pubic hair; thrift-shop running Mom (Mary Kay Place) is passionate about treating the homeless humanely; kid sister Little Chrisy (Lauren Hulsey) shrieks until she is plying her face with sweets; even Grandma ("Memama"; played by Jean Schertler) has her shtick--treating her statue of the Blessed Virgin like she's Charlie McCarthy.
Pecker holds a photo show in the greasy burger joint where he works, and art dealer Rorey Wheeler (the ubiquitous Lili Taylor) walks in and turns him into a star. She holds a show of his artwork up in New York, and has her sights set on a show at the Whitney.
In equally sitcom fashion, there is a trip made up to his gallery show, by all the aforementioned principals. Their homey and homespun obsesses Ozzie-and-Harrietness is contrasted as fundamentally good and pure next to the pretentious New York art scene. Mom has the homeless in for dinner while his shoplifting buddy gets unheard-of action from not one but two girls--being an instant celebrity just for appearing as a photo subject at a gallery.
Fame and fortune turns them all off, and turns their lives upside down. Pecker ensues by eschewing New York and his opportunities by only having his art shows in Baltimore. A lot of this clearly comes from writer and director John Waters's own experience from dealing with the New York art world, and having home in both cities. But Baltimore is home and where his heart is. And this is part of why the movie fails. The heavy handed treatment of Baltimore is good and real and New York is bad and pretentious makes everything a little stilted. It's like a campy version of *Sunrise*.
But there are lots of wonderful little John Waters moments and dialogue throughout the film that alleviate the sitcom stylings and more black-and-white nature of the two-city rivalry. There are some great lines, too: "I beg of you, do no become an asshole," "Public hair causes crime," and Rorey telling Pecker, "How can you be so kind and gentle and still have talent?"
And while the stiltedness is oppressive, his love of Baltimore is not. He clearly loves his home town. I haven't seen so many scenes on public buses since *A Bronx Tale*. The distinctly nondescript skyline of Baltimore is featured prominently. A pit beef stand and a lesbian strip joint called "The Pelt Room" are shown with great love and affection, as are most of the "little places" and "little people" in the film.
One of the best scenes: Pecker and Shelly make out in a voting booth while an unnaturally obsessed election worker seeks out the troublemakers disrespecting the sanctity of the polling process. When disturbed, Shelly retorts "I'm trying to VOTE!"
*Pecker*. Not one of John Waters's best, but still very enjoyable. Be warned: Hairspray it ain't. Cameo appearances by Patty Hearst, Greg Gorman, and photographer Cindy Sherman. Original music by Stewart Copeland.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1998, Seth J. Bookey, New York, NY 10021 [email protected]; http://www.panix.com/~sethbook
More movie reviews by Seth Bookey, with graphics, can be found at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2679/kino.html
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
