I watched the movie Kids this weekend. It's a controversial 1995 award winning film that deals with the subjects of sex, drugs and the spread of the HIV virus among a group of NYC kids. One of the main characters, Telly, is a skateboarder who is positive for HIV. After Jen finds out that he infected her, she sets out to find him which leads her on a chase through his haunts.
The scenes depicting drug use ranged from casual use to parties that left bodies strewn in various rooms with kids unconscious. Casper, who was an addict, is depicted realistically as arranging his whole life around ways to find substances to take - everything from pot to booze to other drugs. This was one of the starkest realities of the movie since his character was one of the most likeable, yet frustrating to watch. And, sadly, Justin Pierce, the teen who played Casper later committed suicide.
The movie is filmed in a way where the audience clearly observes what goes on - almost in a documentary style fashion. The characters seemed so real that at times I found myself wanting to reach out and help them. The teen actors were street kids without acting experience, for the most part, which resulted in a realistic portrayal. It was a powerful film and dealt with heavy subjects, but a worthwhile journey into the subject matter.
Watching just one day in the lives of these kids could be the best argument I've ever seen for parents who hesitate to ask their kids questions about what they're doing with their time.
Viewer caution: This film contains profanity, nudity and violence, including a date rape scene.
[visual description: The DVD cover of the movie KIDS is shown. The cover is divided into four squares. Four of the main characters faces are shown and over each face one of the letters - K-I-D-S is shown.]
1 comment:
Sounds intersting, worth a watch.
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