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Pecker Details

1998 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1842 members

The winning 10th feature from John Waters straddles a fine line between the eager vulgarity of his earlier works and the sloppy sweetness of HAIRSPRAY and CRY-BABY. Set, as usual, in Baltimore, the film stars Edward Furlong as Pecker, a sweet-natured young fellow who happily passes the days photographing his surroundings with a .. Read more

Starring Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci, Beth Armstrong, Martha Plimpton
Director John Waters
Genres Comedy, Drama, Gay/Lesbian

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Pecker

The winning 10th feature from John Waters straddles a fine line between the eager vulgarity of his earlier works and the sloppy sweetness of HAIRSPRAY and CRY-BABY. Set, as usual, in Baltimore, the film stars Edward Furlong as Pecker, a sweet-natured young fellow who happily passes the days photographing his surroundings with a cheap secondhand camera. Egging him on are his Virgin Mary-obsessed grandmother (Jean Schertler), his sugar-addicted younger sister (Lauren Hulsey), his kleptomaniac best friend (Brendan Sexton III), and his girlfriend (Christina Ricci), who runs a Laundromat with an iron fist. When Pecker's works are "discovered" by a slumming NYC art dealer (Lili Taylor), his simple life is turned upside down, and he quickly realizes that he was happier as an unknown.
A valentine to--and satire of--the art world, PECKER makes strangely poignant statements about the nature of art and the value of fame. As someone with a foot in both the New York art scene and the earthiness of Baltimore, the title character obviously has more than a touch of the director in him. As with all other Waters films, those who are familiar with Baltimore culture will be even more richly rewarded.

Starring Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci, Beth Armstrong, Martha Plimpton, Brendan Sexton III, Mink Stole, Cindy Sherman
Director John Waters
Studio ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 26 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Comedy, Drama, Gay/Lesbian
Language DVD: English
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 18 Sep 2000
Production year: 1998
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (6) of Pecker

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    John Waters movies don't come more sweet and adorable than this portrait of a young and ingenuous Baltimore photographer (a rather low-key Edward Furlong) who becomes an instant “art star” after winning over New York's jaded establishment with his neighbourhood snaps. The scanty story charts the eponymous Pecker's rise to fame and the subsequent attempts to pluck him from his proletarian backwater. Waters gently — though at times didactically — satirises the vampiric art world as a frame for a comparatively sympathetic picture of his B-list Maryland hometown. Among the many mischievous delights are a ventriloquist act involving a Virgin Mary doll, Christina Ricci as the launderette operator from hell and Martha Plimpton as Pecker's spunky sibling. Not to mention Mink Stole.

    • Radio Times
  • "...PECKER remains a refreshing reminder of Waters' spunky talents, and offers continued proof that there really is a very thin line between treasure and trash..."

    • Sight and Sound
  • Most helpful member's review of Pecker

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Brilliant, offbeat slice of life

    A marvellous feelgood movie portraying the rise to fame of a young photographer and how his fame affects his family and friends.

    John Waters' fillums are often meant to shock you out of your view of what's normal in life. This one has a wider appeal and I'd recommend it as an introduction to the great man's work.

      • A customer from medway towns
  • Most recent members' review of Pecker

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  • 2 out of 6 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    dull

    I found this film yawn makingly boring, so much so that having watched the lead character take thousands of pictures I gave up and didn't finish watching the film!

      • A customer from kingston surrey
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Rating breakdown

1,842 Member ratings
  • 100
131
  • 90
136
  • 80
305
  • 70
327
  • 60
379
  • 50
199
  • 40
161
  • 30
87
  • 20
77
  • 10
40

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