How exactly is the movie a comedy?

How exactly is the movie a comedy? - Full body of happy barefooted diverse children with long hairs lying on comfortable bed and eating popcorn while watching funny cartoon on laptop in cozy room

Considering that both Wikipedia and IMDb have classified Spring Breakers as a comedy-drama, I'd like to know what exactly are the comic elements of the movie? The Britney Spears references? James Franco's (perhaps satirical) character? While weird and a li'l surreal, neither of them struck me as particularly funny. What am I missing?



Best Answer

Many reviews are calling this a black comedy or dark comedy, which is comedy that makes light of a serious subject or a comedy with gloomy or disturbing elements. If this film was just a drama, it would be a serious depiction of four girls going on spring break and the tragedy that unfolded when they got mixed up with a gangster. Instead, there are pink ski masks, bikinis in court, lots of sex, references to Britney Spears, the mere existence of a drug dealer named Alien who shows up to bail the girls out of jail... The basic premise is ridiculous, and the way that violence is interspersed with this ridiculousness sets up an uncomfortable edge that seems to keep audiences talking about this movie. Mostly the characters are flat and the story is not that gripping, but the edge that Harmony Korinne keeps the audience on - never knowing which direction it would go - seems to keep viewers engaged, whether they are engrossed or repelled.




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What defines a movie as a comedy?

A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception).

What are the features of comedy?

Common characteristics of comedy include its use of language, which ranges from vernacular speech to puns and wordplay, its use of taboo subjects, and its use of incongruence and juxtaposition. Sometimes comedies rely on physical and crude humor. These are typically known as low comedy.

What is an example of comedy?

A Midsummer Night's Dream, for example, is a classic Shakespearean comedy, and a good example of farce as well. The play is driven by the pranks of Puck, a mischievous jokester who uses magic to make characters fall in love with each other for comic effect.

What are the 3 types of comedy?

Types of Comedy in Literature, Theater, and Film
  • Black Comedy or Dark Comedy. Black or dark comedies are about topics that are distressing to people, such as death, illness, and other taboo topics. ...
  • Comedy of Humors. ...
  • Comedy of Manners. ...
  • Romantic Comedy. ...
  • Sentimental Comedy. ...
  • Tragicomedy. ...
  • Comedy Serves an Important Purpose.




Edgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy




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Images: Monstera, Ketut Subiyanto, Ketut Subiyanto, Tima Miroshnichenko