Spork (2010)

Powerful

Overrated and overhyped

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Spork (Savannah Stehlin) is a 14 year old hermaphrodite outcast. She lives with her older brother Spit in a trailer. Her best friend is black girl Tootsie Roll living in the next trailer. Chunk is a fellow outcast who tells her to be herself. Charlie has two gay father but refuses to be a fag. Spork gets bullied by the mean girls and she hits Betsy Byotch on the nose with a basketball. Betsy vows revenge. There's a school dance contest. Tootsie Roll gets injured and can't win the prize money to travel to visit her father in prison. Spork decides to enter.This is a weird and completely original movie. This is a strange alternate take on the very familiar high school genre. It's appealing and the young actors are terrific. It has a fun energy that is awkward and stumbling. If little blonde girls doing blackface is funny, then this is the movie for you.

Spork succeeds in projecting the dream like way in which any of us who have actually gone through middle school and now have some life experience under our belt to reflect upon it. Do we remember the mundane hour by hour report of what actually took place or just the highlights with just a little bit of narrative embellishment? If Spork were an authentic, realistic, middle school tale, nobody would watch it. Thankfully it's not.It would be easy to say that this is the girl version of Napoleon Dynamite, but it's actually a more watchable film than Napoleon's offering.Savannah Stehlin stars as the frizzy haired middle school girl with a ding a ling named Spork. Spork lives in the tiniest of trailers with her dirty faced older brother and numbs the pain of her teased existence by repeatedly watching The Wiz. One day she stands up against the snotty girl gang that is picking on her and gains the attention of her more outgoing trailer park neighbor, and an equally teased undersized boy in her class.As the story plays out, you learn that some of these characters are missing key components to enjoying a well balanced life. This is handled in a manner that neither makes fun of the character nor talks down to the audience, and is reminiscent of John Hughs 1980′s teen dramedies. There are some singing and dancing numbers that could have easily come off as ridiculous and unbelievable, but again, it's presented in way that makes the viewer feel as if they are a part of the fun.Part of what makes the musical scenes work so well is the collaboration between director J.B Guhman Jr., film editor Philip J. Bartell, art director Nathan Carden, composer Timothy Kiefer, and co-composers Casey James and the Staypuff Kid. If just one of these individuals had not brought their A game, it could have been messy.If you only see one teenage hermaphrodite coming of age movie this year, make it Spork.

I have to admit I wasn't expecting much when I started to watch this film. The title and photo looked quirky however so it grabbed my interest and I decided to see what it was about.Needless to say I watched the whole thing through instead of stopping after 10 minutes. Something about the characters drew me in. I think it was the heart of the movie and its unconventional situations which kept me watching. Also, the message at the end was actually uplifting and inspiring instead of cheesy. I think this was credit due to the writers and their wise choice of words.One thing that struck me about this film is it shows an amazingly real friendship between two girls from black and white culture. Sometimes I feel that there is this divide between certain black and white cultures where people from the different cultures cannot really connect. But this bond between these two girls showed a strength beyond stereotypes where it was possible: Where people can look past their differences and see each other as human beings: caring about each other and sticking together despite their differences and social pressures.Some people complained about the "booty shaking," but I feel the film was simply being true-to-life. In fact, I'm amazed that a film could show such a kind light on both black and white stereotypical behavior at the same time. Normally "booty shaking" films don't have a dorky white likable protagonist, and vice versa.To those who were leery of the hermaphrodite theme: I wouldn't worry too much because it never gets too graphic or goes too far with it. It did however make me think about the fact that there are people out there who have to live with that condition.This film did remind me of some others at first, like Napoleon Dynamite. I was actually expecting something like Welcome to the Dollhouse when I first started watching it. But to me this film had more heart than those other movies. It was about strength, perseverance, and staying a kind person despite bullying and having a difficult life. There was a subtle maturity about this film, and it was uplifting.

I wish I could tell you what inspired me to see a film called "Spork" but for some reason just hearing the title and seeing the picture with a girl holding a spork sold the movie to me. I wish I had a better answer because it wasn't until I got to the theater that I actually read the plot outline. Anyway, I went to see the film at it's World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and what I witnessed was a very unique experience. Below is what I thought..."Spork" tells the story of a young hermaphrodite named Spork (Savannah Stehlin) who has a problem fitting in at school. One day after constantly being bullied by Betsy Byotch played by Rachel G. Fox (and no I am not kidding that's her name), Spork gets tired of being picked on and decides to stand up for herself. It's only a matter of time before Spork decides to enroll in the dance show, not only to show off to the Byotch gang but to better herself in the process. With the help of her trailer-park best friend Tootsie Roll (Sydney Park), Spork learns some of most outrageous dance moves ever and learns that standing out from the crowd is so much better than fitting in. An extremely unique if not bizarre movie ensues...When the film first started about 10 minutes in I began asking myself what the hell am I watching here? But unlike most, I like to give films the benefit of the doubt and decided to stay in my seat instead of leave the theater like the entire row of people in front of me. After about 20 minutes into the film, I figured out that I am watching a one of a kind original film. This was something that mixed John Waters with Tim Burton and yes I do realize how odd of a pairing that is. But seriously this was just an odd ball comedy that dared to be different.Everything from the story line, to the characters (the names alone are hilarious), to the end result of this film was different and for that I give this movie a lot of credit. This was a movie so out there that I guarantee it will have a love and hate relationship with the people who see it. Some people won't be able to handle it's quirkiness and it's out of the ordinary characters but others will eat it up. I ate it up once I learned not to take the film seriously. The story of Spork is simple as its just about a nerdy kid who gets picked on at school. The difference here is what J.B. Ghuman Jr does with the film. He dares to give his characters odd names and mock stereotypes. He tries new things that most who don't truly appreciate "odd ball" films won't admire. Things like the stuffed dog and references to "The Wiz" are just some of the odd yet often hilarious inside jokes in the film.J.B. Ghuman Jr. created the world of "Spork" and I must say what a vivid imagination that guy has. While most of the film is so out there you can't even begin to take it seriously, somehow there are some really touching moments in the film. The way the characters interact is not like most films you would see but it works. The music in this film is also great. I would say this had one of funkiest yet really catchy soundtracks I have seen in a while. I think the music fits the tone of the film well so bravo to the soundtrack as well In the end, "Spork" gets high marks from me because I admire a filmmaker who thinks outside the box. The films basic premise has been done so many times before but J.B. Ghuman Jr. put a unique twist on a outdated storyline. "Spork" is definitely a film that isn't for everyone but those who want something that dares to be different but also pokes fun at itself as well as society, this is a good film for you to see. It's not your typical high school or middle school film so be forewarned before watching. If you like things that are "out there" or "odd" be sure to check it out. "Spork" won't be winning any awards any time soon unless it's for most odd and unique independent film but that's OK because it doesn't need too. I think what "Spork" does best is create it's own unique and fun world that you can get lost in for 90 mins and for that, I am thankful.MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Spork" is an 8 out of 10.