Kuso

2017

Director: Flying Lotus

Genre: Comedic drama

Ew!!! Gross!! That's fuckin' disgusting!

That may be the reaction this film is going for, but it's been a long time since any film has made me recoil in disgust. People being scared of strange and abnormal humans goes all the way back to Freaks (1932). (That's just my memory by the way. I'm not bothering to look back through the history of cinema, as there is a always another film that has done something first.)

Weird, gross, unusual, and absurd scenes make up this film. It's not a story, and more of a glimpse into the daily lives of people in this alternate version of Los Angeles. 

But is there any more to this film than the images on screen? Is it just a jumble of images intended to shock, or is there a hidden meaning? 

I must admit, I do find it funny how I'm looking for meaning in a film that contains a scene of a man fucking the sentient mole on his girlfriend's neck. 

It does feel like the creators did put a good deal of thought into the imagery, although they want to act as if they didn't think about it at all. There is some clear care and thought put into the framing and writing. And I remember walking around after I saw the film and thinking about how Los Angeles would be if all sense of beauty was lost, and the gorgeous faces of actresses were covered by boils and pus.

The film's glimpses into an alternate world seem too concerned with provoking a reaction from the audience as opposed to letting the images linger inside our minds. It may have been gross while watching it, but now I can only remember a few scenes. 

That said, this is a film worth watching. But I'm afraid that the nonstop barrage of "weird" moments will get tiresome upon a second viewing. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️