Ken Park (2003)

What a waste of my time!!!

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

I had heard about this movie but it was only yesterday I found an opportunity to watch it. And at present, in 2018, I am amazed what depiction is so shocking that this film was so restricted or even banned - Ken Park is still a 21-century work! The approach when male genitals are not shown in "decent" films (vis-a-vis female ones) has always been mystery to me, plus the performers here depicting minors were adults in real life... There are some sex scenes, but they are realistic, aesthetic, and the percentage of the total film duration is small.The main focus of Ken Park is not the consequences, but the reasons why those teens have come to life such a life. Sanctimony, broken families, limited resources, boredom, different needs are the main keywords here, with acceptable (yet not too interesting) presentation. Apart from the young, some good character actors like Amanda Plummer and Wade Williams provide distinct supporting performances.Here, realism clearly dominates over enthrallment and dynamism. Not too bad, but not impressive, too static for me ("Kids" is catchier). But better thay any shades of gray, for sure...

I really tried to watch this film and see something other than just a vicious display of humanity's spiritual abyss, but for me, that is all there is to this "work of art". I did not see any artistic vision or any intellectual message worth transmitting. All I saw was a porn movie that includes children. I have absolutely no problem with showing shocking material in films, when it contributes to the story or plot or the understanding of the characters or something else. But showing things like that without any kind of artistic or intellectual purpose is just nothing but disgusting to me. Why would anyone want to watch that? It is too far from the reality most people are experiencing (I really do hope so) to feel connected to the characters. It is way too gross to be somewhat enjoyable or entertaining and it is too shallow to actually make to think about the topics in the film. What kind of point are they trying too make? Some people are sick and therefore cruel to (their) children? Is that the point? They think a viewer should be tortured with those images to understand that point? You hear about things like that everyday on the news. If you want to dig into a subject matter of this kind , why not make it in a way that is touching or realistic or both? Why make it an ice cold porn movie that makes you want to rip your eyes out? I usually don't give a "one star" rating, because I know that making a movie is incredibly hard work and I at least appreciate the effort, but I cannot condone this crap in any kind of way.

This was the first Larry Clark movie that I've seen in my life, but it left me without any desire to see another film directed by him.Honestly, this has to be one of the most boring and pointless movies that I've seen in my entire life. It had an ugly and amateurish direction style (Yes, this is another one of those forced and poorly made "pseudorealistic" movies) and lots of forced and gratuitous content which seems to be put here just for the sake of shock.Personally, I didn't find "Ken Park" to be "disturbing" or "shocking" at all, I just find it boring, dull and stupid, without any redeeming value. The last scene was just pathetic, being almost like something borrowed from a very bad porn movie...Oh yeah, something totally "realistic" and "deep".Ken Park is the worst indie film that I've ever saw. For me, it was a complete waste of time.

Ken Park the movie is a thinker, the type that makes you ponder upon if you take cinema seriously. It follows four teen aged kids, and their unusual sexual experiences. The movie shows drugs, sex and murder openly. The search for more love, privacy, respect, fear and support drives these teens to the brink and even beyond while still being bound by their communal love for skate boarding. The end is particularly well written and inspiring. While the events of the movie might be a little gloomy the ending is a great take from teen spirit and makes you smile. Overall a great watch if you like deep meaning cinema or even if you just want to see loads of nudity!