Ken Park (2002)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Directors:

Larry Clark
Edward Lachman

Writers:

Larry Clark (stories)
Harmony Korine (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 January 2003 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Adult

Tagline:

Who are you?

Plot:

It's about several Californian skateboarder's life and relationships with and without their parents.

Plot Keywords:

Teenager | Skateboarder | Sex | Alcoholic Father | California

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Adam Chubbuck	...	Ken Park
James Bullard	...	Shawn
Seth Gray	...	Shawn's Brother
Eddie Daniels	...	Shawn's Mother
Zara McDowell	...	Zoe
Maeve Quinlan	...	Rhonda
Stephen Jasso	...	Claude
Wade Williams	...	Claude's Father (as Wade Andrew Williams)
Tiffany Limos	...	Peaches
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Peaches' Father (as Julio Oscar Mochoso)
James Ransone	...	Tate
Patricia Place	...	Tate's Grandmother
Amanda Plummer	...	Claude's Mother
Mike Apaletegui	...	Curtis
Harrison Young	...	Tate's Grandfather

Runtime:

96 min | Argentina:98 min (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema) | Sweden:97 min

Country:

USA | Netherlands | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:R (Alberta) | Iceland:16 | Hungary:18 | New Zealand:(Banned) (DVD/VHS release) | France:-16 (video) | France:-16 | France:-18 (court decision) | Singapore:(Banned) | Argentina:18 | Australia:Refused Classification | Brazil:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Italy:VM18 | Japan:R-18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 (film festival rating) | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Busy Bee Productions

Trivia:

There is a real Ken Park who was a professional skater in the 1980s.

Quotes:

Peaches' Father: Peaches is such a good girl.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Teens (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

What a Nigga Know

Thoroughly depressing, but riveting viewing.

Living in Australia, there has been a lot of controversy about this movie, leading to the government banning it (and even forbidding it to be shown at film festivals, to intelligent, consenting adults), so I had some idea what to expect when watching it.

The thing that surprised me was that there was almost none of the "explicit sex" that the tabloids and conservative politicians would have us believe. Sure there are a couple of shots of erect penises, but nothing most adults haven't seen themselves.

The part that didn't surprise me was that the story was so good. I have seen all of Larry Clark's films, and this is by far the best. A depressing tale of kids who are beginning to realise that their parents, their biggest role models, are not perfect. Far from it in some cases.

I urge everyone who is interested in pictures that may not be light entertainment (and who is not offended by the occasional sexual organ) to try and obtain a copy of this - especially Australians. Don't let the government dictate what you can and cannot see.