Savage Youth combines the carefree spirit of American Honey with the razor sharp glamour of Spring Breakers and the disastrous life choices depicted in Never Goin’ Back. Johnson uses real life footage from the past several years to illustrate a dire story about six teenagers each in their own way lost.
Jason, donned in his wannabe Insane Clown Posse look, is wrathfully rapping about ‘life’ as we’re gradually introduced to the gang of teens whose lives will be unfurling in chaotic and extreme mannerisms. While robbing a grocery store, Elena, who is a ‘wanna be’ artist enrolled in a prestigious college, requires some convincing to step out of her comfortable yet dull world of relying on her father’s shit business money. Her friend, Stephanie, reads lines from Romeo & Juliet, reminiscing over the ancient love tales before sending her for a date with a ring of Hyde. The three sub-amateur rappers Jason, Hyde and their dim but earnest friend, Lucas have their new addition to the gang Lucas. On the other hand, Gabe and Mike understand that selling weeds with combine their new routine of peddling and effortless lifestyle together. Over the next 100 minutes, all the teenagers eventually cross paths and pay a hefty price for their deeds.
For all the hope America has about its troubled youth, Andrea Arnold’s American Honey did show young people directionless in their travels across the country while getting away with crime as almost a sense of adventure. In contrast, Savage Youth has much less sympathy towards America’s youth. It’s clear from the off that this set of teenagers has had fair chances given to them an education for instance but their unwillingness to help themselves and the profuse belief that their ‘talents’ alone are going to provide them a living makes one question their understanding of life’s expectations. Luckily, Johnson never takes shelter behind the sentiment of ‘these kids don’t know how lucky they are’ and instead creates complex characters of all the teenagers and provides each actor with enough depth to truly bring them to life.
Everything is spot on, with every performance, since the film revolves around Grace Victoria Cox’s Elena. There’s an uncanny resemblance with Evan Rachel Wood, and the echoes of Wood’s career establishing acting in Thirteen seem to carry over here. Cox is very gripping to look at, as she captures every nuance of the teenage ideal the kind of love that you truly live for at that age. In a flash of inspiration, Elena starts the movie with electric, vivid purple hair. Then, as her life slowly starts to unravel, she is left with a bedraggled look, her roots feebly sticking out, her hair unkempt and faded.
Britain’s frightening portrayal of Jason is the most disturbing in the film. He looks the part of a soldier with a militaristic stance. His neck is adorned with dog tags and his hair is cropped into a style straight from Full Metal Jacket. It appears everyone has done him wrong in some way. While he explains, in a blindingly clear manner, that no one gives him a chance, it’s clear that he’s not affording himself the opportunity either. Jason is an self-serving individual with a blatant lack of appreciation for the world around him. He exploits black culture for his rap style, and as the movie progresses, it becomes unbearably apparent that he is willing to do anything to achieve his goals.
The film Savage Youth touches on the nuances of growing up as a white youth versus a black youth. When Jason gets caught breaking and entering, instead of being sent to prison, he gets let off easy with the assignment of writing two essays on films. In comparison, Mike possesses an unlicensed firearm and when arrested, serves time in jail and has a permanent record. Black youth get the harshest treatment, which automatically ruins their future. Johnson does not shy away from emphasizing white privilege in his film. He is careful to demonstrate the toxic impact of young man with entitlement in regards to women and cultural appropriation. Lucas is always complaining about girls not wanting him, while in reality, he does not put any effort into winning over anybody. He seems to be trapped in a delusion that if he keeps rapping, girls will want him. These white characters do not “fail upwards,” they just drift through life as empty shells of mediocrity. They lounge in the gutters, getting high on crack and cheap vodka, and can’t seem to understand why they aren’t getting anywhere in life.
Gabe sees his weed peddling as yet another way to make money, although one that isn’t legal. It is hard to determine how he fared in school, but once his best friend goes off to college, he tries to apply what he learned in academics to the drug business. In regards to his current situation, he is certainly doing much better than before, but it is unfortunate that he does not live in Colorado. Instead of working towards relocating to Colorado, which he could afford to do with the money he is making from selling drugs, he decides to stay and work in an uninspiring place.
Although there is a lot happening in Savage Youth, there is a lot of strategy and effort that goes in portraying these characters in a non-positive light and still making them very engaging and appealing. There is something deeply appealing in how they live their lives in a self-destructive manner, but aside from Gabe and Mike, they do not make you want them to succeed. It may come across as very unpleasant and unappealing, but it should be noted that these characters are not bad. These characters are simply suffering and have no self-discipline to work toward becoming better.
Everyone associated with this film needs to be on your radar. Savage Youth can be bit horrifying on the latter part of the film but it is a perspective that stays imprinted for here to come. A chilling reminder that the film is based on a true story does a tremendous job of intensifying the grotesque level of white supremacy and how damaging it can be. The movie is brilliantly put together, touches the relevant topic in a fascinating manner, and is incredibly engaging. Don’t miss this.
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