I've done some reading - probably too much, tainting my own impressions - on Xenia, Ohio, and on the writer and director, Harmony Korine. My initial horror at the thought of Americans living like this was only aggravated by some of the entries in the City of Xenia's guestbook:
I miss living in Xenia. I graduated XHS in 1989. I now live in Blythe, California and work at a gas station. Now i know what living the great life is like. Thanks XENIA!However, upon reading that the movie was actually shot in Nashville, Tennessee, and that Korine has never set foot in Xenia, Ohio, my horror began to fade. And while Mayor John Saraga's grammar isn't perfect, his clarification of life in Xenia seems genuine.
As art, I would say this movie succeeds; it's sparked many thoughts. Tummler's (Nick Sutton) rage against simplicity - while achingly brief - is the strongest message I'm left with. Like his brother, I want to flee that world, running hard and fast, eyes on the pavement. It's scary, what humans can become accustomed to. *shudder*
