Gummo

Gummo is a 1997 American experimental drama film written and directed by Harmony Korine in his directorial debut.

Gummo is a 1997 American experimental drama film written and directed by Harmony Korine in his directorial debut. Set in Xenia, Ohio, it follows loosely connected characters in a tornado-ravaged town and is known for its graphic imagery, episodic structure, and cult reputation.

Plot and setting

The film is set in a poor Midwestern town still marked by a tornado, and follows several residents as they drift through strange, destructive, and fragmented episodes. The story is presented more as a series of vignettes than a conventional plot.

Production

Gummo was written and directed by Harmony Korine and filmed in Nashville, Tennessee. Available sources describe it as a low-budget production, with an estimated budget of about $1.3 million.

Release and reception

The film premiered at Telluride in August 1997 and was released in the United States in October 1997. It drew attention for its graphic content and unusual style, received generally negative reviews at the time, and later became a cult film.

Legacy

Over time, Gummo gained recognition as an important example of late-1990s independent and experimental American cinema. Its inclusion in the Criterion Collection in 2024 reflects its later critical reassessment.