The film that broke the internet, years before breaking the internet was even a thing, is making a wild comeback on free streaming this December. The concept of former child stars breaking type-casting through questionable R-rated projects is nothing new. Harry Potter‘s Daniel Radcliffe followed the franchise up with Swiss Army Man and a completely nude scene in a stage play. But when two of the lead actors are former Disney icons, and the movie is one of the raunchiest and unhinged films of the decade, it sets the bar even higher. Those who have seen the film should already know that we’re talking about Spring Breakers, and it’s about to stream for free.
Spring Breakers will soon land on Tubi’s streaming library. The completely free streaming service will host the film from December 1. Even if you’ve never actually seen it, you’ve almost definitely heard of Spring Breakers. The incredibly divisive R-rated crime thriller dominated the pop culture zeitgeist during the early 2010s, thanks to High School Musical‘s Vanessa Hudgens and Wizards of Waverly Place‘s Selena Gomez in the leading roles. Alongside the duo, the film also starred James Franco, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine, Heather Morris, and Gucci Mane (for some reason),
Directed by Harmony Korine (Gummo), Spring Breakers, as the title suggests, follows four college students who rob a diner to afford their Florida spring break. But when they’re arrested for the crime, they’re bailed out by a strange Floridian drug dealer who lures them into a life of crime. If that sounds bonkers, it’s because it absolutely is. Harmony Korine isn’t known for making straightforward and normal movies, and while Spring Breakers is certainly his most mainstream film, it’s still divisive and off-kilter. In fact, Spring Breakers was so polarising, it’s still sparking conversations about its quality.
Is ‘Spring Breakers’ Mid or a Masterpiece?
Ask two people what they thought of Spring Breakers, and you’ll likely get two very different opinions. When the film was released, neither audiences nor critics knew what to make of the movie. It holds a decent 67% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a far more contentious user rating of 38%. The heavily opinionated British film critic, Mark Kermode, even struggled to define the film, calling it “vaguely watchable.”
In the years since its release, Spring Breakers‘ public reception has become even more complicated. With the element of shock factor now removed from the film, some are coming to see Spring Breakers as a cinematic masterpiece that was ahead of its time. “The greatest film of the 2010s,” wrote one user, while another wrote, “The second time I watched more closely and paid attention the whole time, and then I saw how insanely artistic the actual filming part was.” However, Rotten Tomatoes users remain divided on the movie, as a recent one-star review reads:
“An absolutely terrible movie! It plays out like it is attempting to be a parody of these sorta sex-infused crime movies, but as far as I can tell it’s an actual attempt at one — which means it’s simply cringe all the way through.”
- Release Date
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March 15, 2013
- Runtime
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94minutes