S.L.C. PUNK! (1999)

MORGAN'S RATING

COMING SOON

Stevo becomes a punk rebel in Reagan-era Salt Lake City. His ex-hippie father sees his lifestyle as a rite of passage and urges him to attend Harvard Law School like himself -- not to sell out to the system, but to buy in. For Stevo, underneath the mohawk and haircuts, earrings and leather, the idea, painfully, has some merit.

Matthew Lillard (Stevo), Michael A. Goorjian (Bob), Annabeth Gish (Trish), Jennifer Lien (Sandy), Christopher McDonald (Dad), Devon Sawa (Sean), Jason Segel (Mike), Adam Pascal (Eddie), Til Schweiger (Mark), James Duval (John the Mod), Summer Phoenix (Brandy), Chiara Barzini (Jennifer), Kevin Breznahan (Chris), Christina Karras (Jamie), Russell Peacock (Jones), Christopher Ogden (Young Stevo), Francis Capra (Young Bob), McNally Sagal (Mom), Scott Brady (Bouncer), Vaughn McBride (Liquor Store Man), Janice Knickrehm (Liquor Store Woman), Marcia Dangerfield (Liquor Store Lady), Tom Jacobson (Liquor Store Fellow), Stephanie Shumway (Jules), Eric Robertson (Doctor), Micaela Nelligan (Nurse), Mary Bishop (Sean's Mother), Dominic Gortat (Poser), Evan O'Meara (ECP Singer / Extreme Corporal Punishment), Elizabeth Westwood (Hot Babe), Bihan Zaimi (Keg Boy, uncredited).

GOD BLESS AMERICA... THEY'RE GOING TO NEED IT.

FACTS

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

RELEASE DATE: April 23rd, 1999 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $36,218 (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $118,454 (USA) - The scene in Stevo's parents' living room where they try to convince him to go to Harvard was shot in director James Merendino's father's house. - In the scene where Stevo is 18, his mohawk is Matthew Lillard's real hair. The scene was taped first and the rest of the movie was taped once Lillard's hair grew to the length which it was for most of the film. - Director James Merendino appears quickly on screen as one of the punks in the "Explanation of Fight" slide show, and as the character "Freaky Deaky" at the party at Chris' house.

DIRECTOR: James Merendino. WRITER: James Merendino. PRODUCER: Sam Maydew and Peter Ward. ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Katrina Fernandez and Glenn Salloum. CO-PRODUCER: Tam Halling. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jan De Bont, Andrea Kreuzhage and Michael Peyser. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth, Bruce Slesinger, Alex Van Halen, Edward Van Halen, Elmo Weber (all songs). DISTRIBUTOR: Sony Pictures Classics.

QUOTES

Dad: I didn't sell out, Son. I bought in. Keep that in mind.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

Stevo: Do you love her? Bob: I don't know. I'd have to think about that. Stevo: It's not really a thinking question.

"It's a rental for when you've seen everything else and are in the mood for some rebellion." -- John Venable, Supercala.com

Stevo: You see life is like that. We change, that's all. You see, the guy I am now is not the guy I was then. If the guy I was then met the guy I am now he'd beat the shit out of me. Those are the facts.

"...a moderately enjoyable scourging of red-necks and Ronald Reagan." -- Elias Savada, Nitrate Online

"There's nothing about the SLC in SLC Punk that makes it stand out. The tale could have been told in any city, really." -- Brian McKay, EFilmCritic.com

Stevo: To be an anarchist in Salt Lake City was certainly no easy task, especially in 1985. And having no money, no job, no plans for the future, the true anarchist position was in itself a strenuous job.

Stevo: See, to me, England was nothing more than a big fucking American state like North Dakota or Canada.