In the early 1980s Stevo and Heroin Bob are the only two dedicated punks in conservative Salt Lake City.
Writer/Director: James Merendino
Stars: Matthew Lillard, Michael A. Goorjian, Annabeth Gish.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133189/
Watched online, ok copy.
42 songs in the Soundtracks.
This is not about punk music, and I don't think any music was performed onscreen.
This poster misses a big opportunity: the actor has died bright blue hair until the very end of the film.
The 2 principals chose to be punks at age 14 or so because being D&D geeks is too dangerous and isolating. So instead they become the aggressors, beating up on neo-Nazis or anyone who makes them itch. They believe in anarchy, which is self contradictory: a system based on having no system. More join them as the punk fad waxes and wanes, then they're the last 2 again.
The film is narrated throughout by the character on the poster. He finishes college and is accepted to Harvard Law (his father applied without his knowledge; dad graduated from there). So when he finally gives up this lifestyle (his friend overdoses dead), he has a ready next step. He claims he'll "do more damage" within the system than he could from the outside.
The narration builds a good case against anarchy. The film does not glamorize the lifestyle it shows. But I did not grow to care about anyone, have no curiosity about what happens to this guy after the film, and would have been completely happy never to have seen this.
Rated 7.5 (24,100)
distr. Sony, dir, Merendino; 5
