JAWBREAKER (1999)

It’s campy. It’s vile. It’s over the top. It’s vibrant. It’s everything. I don’t know who I was before I saw Jawbreaker, but I know now that I was not complete. 3 teen girls decide to surprise their friend by kidnapping her for her birthday, but it all goes wrong when the jawbreaker that they use as a gag “gag” ends up choking and killing her. This movie reminds us all that teenage girls are the devil, and that we should all be Satanists. The costuming, a delight. The casting, genius. I love seeing Judy Greer in any role, but she really knocked it out of the park with this one, playing almost two different roles - Fern Mayo and her alter ego Violette. This film never went where I thought it would go and I enjoyed every minute of it. I don’t know if the transition sound effects would be necessary today, but they add to the campiness of the film - which kept it a little more lighthearted than Carrie. Even the big reveal of Courtney’s (Rose McGowan) recorded admission of guilt still felt surprising, due to the accidental nature of its recording, as well as the decision to play it at prom vs. for the authorities. Obviously, playing it for the cops would make more sense, but it’s a teen movie that focuses on the public image, which means that Courtney must first be tried before a court of her peers before going to court to be tried before a jury of her fellow citizens.

The film went in darker directions than most teen movies but kept the energy light and playful. In contrast, I would say that a movie like The Craft is darker than this. Yes, the girls felt guilt over killing their friend, but it wasn’t consuming their lives in an overwhelming sense. Rose McGowan played an exceptional teen psychopath, especially pitted against Pam Grier’s Detective Vera Cruz (a welcome sight, I’m always excited to see Pam Grier). The dialogue was exceptional and exciting. Overall, the movie is fun, sinister, and feels like an older cousin to HBO’s Euphoria. 

Food Recommendation: Dare I recommend LifeSavers candies - developed specifically to help prevent such an incident? I recommend keeping a few in your bag. You never know when you need a little sugar boost.