Spring Breakers (2012)

Spring Breakers is a 2012 crime drama film directed by Harmony Korine and starring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine. The film tells the story of four college students who rob a fast food restaurant to fund their spring break trip to Florida. Once there, they get involved with a drug dealer named Alien (James Franco) who leads them down a dangerous path of crime and violence.

The film received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising its visual style and performances, while others criticized its portrayal of youth culture and its use of gratuitous violence and sexual content. Despite this, the film has since gained a cult following.

Here are some more details about the film:

• The film was shot in Florida, and many of the scenes were filmed during the actual spring break season to capture the energy and atmosphere of the event.
• The film’s score was composed by Cliff Martinez and features electronic and hip-hop music by artists such as Skrillex and Gucci Mane.
• James Franco’s character, Alien, was inspired by real-life rapper Riff Raff, who was originally considered for the role but ultimately did not appear in the film.
• Selena Gomez’s role as Faith marked a departure from her previous work, as it was her first major role in an R-rated film.
• The film was controversial for its portrayal of youth culture and its use of explicit content, with some critics arguing that it glamorized drug use and violence.
• Despite mixed reviews, Spring Breakers was a box office success, grossing over $31 million worldwide against a budget of $5 million.

Cast

The main cast of Spring Breakers (2012) includes:

• Selena Gomez as Faith
• Vanessa Hudgens as Candy
• Ashley Benson as Brit
• Rachel Korine as Cotty
• James Franco as Alien
• Gucci Mane as Archie
• Heather Morris as Bess
• Emma Holzer as Heather

Note: There are also several uncredited cameos in the film, including rapper Riff Raff (who inspired the character of Alien), director Harmony Korine’s wife Rachel Simon, and musician Dangeruss.

Production

Spring Breakers was directed and written by Harmony Korine, and produced by Chris Hanley, Jordan Gertner, David Zander, and Charles-Marie Anthonioz. Here are some more details about the production of the film:

• The idea for the film came from a conversation Korine had with his wife, Rachel, about her experiences on spring break as a college student.
• Korine wrote the script specifically with Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine in mind for the lead roles. He wanted to cast actors known for their wholesome and family-friendly images to play against type in the film.
• The film was shot on location in Florida over a period of four weeks. Many of the extras in the film were actual college students on spring break at the time.
• The film’s visual style was influenced by the work of photographers such as Ryan McGinley and Terry Richardson, as well as the films of Terrence Malick.
• The film’s score was composed by Cliff Martinez, who had previously worked on films such as Drive and Contagion. The score features electronic and hip-hop music, as well as some original compositions by Martinez.
• The film was initially given an NC-17 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for its explicit content, but the rating was later changed to an R after some minor cuts were made.

Despite its controversial subject matter and explicit content, Spring Breakers was praised for its bold and unconventional approach to storytelling, as well as its visual style and performances. It has since become a cult classic and has been cited as a landmark film in the subgenre of “post-ironic” cinema.

Reviews

Reviews for Spring Breakers were mixed upon its release in 2012, with some critics praising its visual style and bold approach to storytelling, while others criticized its portrayal of youth culture and its use of gratuitous violence and sexual content. Here are a few examples of reviews:

• Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film four out of four stars, writing: “Spring Breakers is a hypnotic, disorienting and disturbing odyssey that challenges you to figure out what director Harmony Korine is saying about youthful excess and what it says about us as a society that we’re willing to pay to watch it.”
• A.O. Scott of The New York Times also gave the film a positive review, writing: “In many ways, Spring Breakers is a straightforward movie about bad behavior, but Mr. Korine, with the aid of his cinematographer, Benoît Debie, and his editor, Douglas Crise, turns that material into a work of disciplined and deliberated abstraction.”
• Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, however, gave the film a negative review, writing: “Korine is a talented film-maker, but what’s the point of this empty, artfully contrived exploitation flick?”
• Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post also criticized the film, writing: “Spring Breakers is less a movie than an orgy of youthful dereliction, an experiment in how many times a filmmaker can convey the same idea in the same scene before exhausting viewers’ patience, not to mention credulity.”

Despite the mixed reviews, Spring Breakers has since gained a cult following and has been praised for its bold and unconventional approach to storytelling. It has been cited as a landmark film in the subgenre of “post-ironic” cinema.

Where are they now?

Here’s an update on the main cast of Spring Breakers and what they have been up to since the film’s release:

• Selena Gomez (Faith) has continued to act in films and TV shows, including the TV series Wizards of Waverly Place and films such as The Fundamentals of Caring and A Rainy Day in New York. She has also released several successful albums as a pop singer.
• Vanessa Hudgens (Candy) has continued to act in films and TV shows, including the TV series Powerless and the film Bad Boys for Life. She has also appeared in several stage productions, including a 2016 revival of the musical Gigi.
• Ashley Benson (Brit) has continued to act in TV shows and films, including the TV series Pretty Little Liars and the films Her Smell and The Birthday Cake. She has also worked as a model and fashion designer.
• Rachel Korine (Cotty) has continued to act in films, including the films The Trap and The Beach Bum, both of which were directed by her husband, Harmony Korine.
• James Franco (Alien) has continued to act in films and TV shows, including the TV series The Deuce and the films The Disaster Artist and Zeroville. He has also worked as a director, writer, and producer, and has published several books.
• Gucci Mane (Archie) has continued to work as a rapper, releasing several successful albums and collaborating with other artists. He has also appeared in several films and TV shows, including the films Harmony Korine’s The Trap and The Spot and the TV series The Mane Event.
• Heather Morris (Bess) has continued to act in films and TV shows, including the TV series Glee and the films Most Likely to Die and Folk Hero & Funny Guy.
• Emma Holzer (Heather) has continued to act in films, including the films Red Oaks and Reckoning.

Fun facts

Here are some fun facts about Spring Breakers:

• The film’s director, Harmony Korine, initially wrote the script as a short film about college girls going on spring break. He later expanded the idea into a feature film.
• The film’s cast, including Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens, had to undergo a month-long “boot camp” prior to filming, where they learned how to shoot guns and ride motorcycles.
• Many of the extras in the film were actual college students on spring break in Florida. They were paid $50 per day to appear in the film.
• The film’s poster, which features the four female leads in bikinis holding guns, was designed by artist David Choe.
• James Franco’s character, Alien, was originally written as a black rapper. Franco convinced Korine to let him play the role, and he based his performance on real-life rapper Dangeruss.
• The film was controversial for its portrayal of youth culture and its use of explicit content, with some critics arguing that it glamorized drug use and violence.
• The film’s soundtrack features songs by Skrillex, Gucci Mane, and Britney Spears, among others.
• The film was shot using a mix of digital and analog film formats, and the footage was heavily manipulated in post-production to achieve its dreamlike visual style.
• The film’s opening sequence, which features slow-motion footage of spring breakers partying on the beach, was shot using a custom-built camera rig that allowed the camera to move smoothly through the crowds.

Box office

Trailer