Pecker

John Waters, USA, 1998, 86 mins

The latest offering from Baltimore's "Pope of Trash" seems somewhat toned down compared to the heady days of Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble but his 25-odd years of directing experience shines through, showing us he can still pull off an offbeat and entertaining yarn. Pecker (Edward Furlong of American History X fame), named after his childhood habit of pecking at food, is an 18 year old photographer who delights in taking pictures of his eccentric family and friends. Pecker persuades his boss to let him exhibit his work at the Baltimore greasy spoon where he works.

He is soon spotted by a New York art dealer, Rorey Wheeler (Lili Taylor), who thinks his photographs are perfect and sets about trying to exhibit Pecker's work in New York. Pecker and his friends gain instant notoriety and fame. However it is for all the wrong reasons, with Pecker's house being burgled; kleptomaniac friend Matt (Edward Sexton III) being followed by a hawk to prevent him from stealing. His older sister Tina (Martha Plimpton) loses her job in the Fudge Palace gay nightclub when his pictures show customers in compromising positions being tea-bagged. The younger sister Chrissy (after her sugar addiction is publicised) finds that social services want to take her into care. Finally, Shelley (Christina Ricci) - Pecker's girlfriend and a laundromat mistress, starts getting obscene phonecalls.

Waters is one of the most sympathetic directors and takes time to develop all his characters lovingly. He also provides a rich humour, especially with scenese such as Matt and Pecker in the supermarket adding `presents' to people's groceries, as well as Waters' ability to offend, with rats having sex, a man masturbating on a washing machine, tea-bagging in a gay strip club and Pecker's blasphemous grandmother with her talking Virgin Mary.

Waters shows himself as a master craftsman and draws outstanding performances from Furlong and Ricci.

Review by Stephen Brennan
Taken from EUFS Programe Autumn 1999