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Kids (film)

Updated: 12/11/2025, 9:05:23 AM Wikipedia source

Kids is a 1995 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Larry Clark and written by Harmony Korine in their directorial and screenwriting debuts, respectively. It stars Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce and Chloë Sevigny in their film debuts. Fitzpatrick, Pierce, Sevigny, and other newcomers including Rosario Dawson portray a group of teenagers in New York City. They are characterized as libertines, who engage in sexual acts and recreational substance abuse, over the course of a single day. Ben Detrick of the New York Times has described the film as "Lord of the Flies with skateboards, nitrous oxide and hip-hop... There is no thunderous moral reckoning, only observational detachment." The film caused controversy upon its release in 1995 over its treatment of the subject matter. It received an NC-17 rating from the MPAA, but was released without a rating. Critical response was mixed, and the film grossed $20.4 million on a $1.5 million budget. It is now considered a cult classic.

Infobox

Directed by
Larry Clark
Written by
Harmony Korine
Produced by
Cary Woods
Starring
mw- Leo Fitzpatrick Justin Pierce Chloë Sevigny
Cinematography
Eric Edwards
Edited by
Christopher Tellefsen
Music by
Lou Barlow John Davis
Productioncompanies
Independent PicturesThe Guys UpstairsKiller FilmsShining Excalibur FilmsKids NY Limited
Distributed by
Shining Excalibur Films
Release dates
May 17, 1995 (1995-05-17) (Cannes) September 1, 1995 (1995-09-01) (United States)
Running time
91 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$1.5 million
Box office
$20.4 million

Tables

· Reception › Accolades
May 1995
May 1995
Year
May 1995
Award
Cannes Film Festival
Category
Palme d'Or
Recipients
Larry Clark
Result
Nominated
Golden Camera
Golden Camera
Year
Golden Camera
Award
Nominated
1996
1996
Year
1996
Award
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
Category
Worst Picture
Recipients
Kids (Shining Excalibur)
Result
Dishonourable Mention
March 23, 1996
March 23, 1996
Year
March 23, 1996
Award
Independent Spirit Awards
Category
Best Supporting Female
Recipients
Chloë Sevigny
Result
Nominated
Best First Screenplay
Best First Screenplay
Year
Best First Screenplay
Award
Harmony Korine
Category
Nominated
Best First Feature
Best First Feature
Year
Best First Feature
Award
Kids (Shining Excalibur)
Category
Nominated
Best Debut Performance
Best Debut Performance
Year
Best Debut Performance
Award
Justin Pierce
Category
Won
Year
Award
Category
Recipients
Result
Ref.
May 1995
Cannes Film Festival
Palme d'Or
Larry Clark
Nominated
Golden Camera
Nominated
1996
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
Worst Picture
Kids (Shining Excalibur)
Dishonourable Mention
March 23, 1996
Independent Spirit Awards
Best Supporting Female
Chloë Sevigny
Nominated
Best First Screenplay
Harmony Korine
Nominated
Best First Feature
Kids (Shining Excalibur)
Nominated
Best Debut Performance
Justin Pierce
Won
Professional ratings · Soundtrack
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Review scores
Entertainment Weekly
Review scores
A
NME
NME
Review scores
NME
Review scores
7/10
Spin
Spin
Review scores
Spin
Review scores
8/10
Review scores
Source
Rating
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly
A
NME
7/10
Spin
8/10

References

  1. Kids
    https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kids-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmtuznjg
  2. Box Office Mojo
    https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl22840833/weekend/
  3. The Numbers
    https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Kids#tab=summary
  4. Kids
    https://web.archive.org/web/20061108044626/http://www.harmony-korine.com/paper/main/c_kidscast.html
  5. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/fashion/kids-20th-anniversary-chloe-sevigny-rosario-dawson.html
  6. Salon
    https://www.salon.com/2021/06/12/the-kids-eddie-martin-movie/
  7. Photography: Art Gallery of New South Wales Collection
  8. Filmmaker
    https://web.archive.org/web/20231011230255/http://www.harmony-korine.com/paper/int/hk/rascals.html
  9. Dazed
    https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/25649/1/the-secret-history-of-kids
  10. Hynes 2015, pp. 1-6.
    https://archive.today/20240708181104/https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/kids-the-oral-history-of-the-most-controversial-film-of-the-nineties-105069/
  11. Interview Magazine
    https://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/leo-fitzpatrick-exhibition-a
  12. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/12/movies/oscar-films-first-timers-who-says-you-have-to-struggle-to-be-a-star.html
  13. Hynes 2015, p. 6.
    https://archive.today/20240303055423/https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/kids-the-oral-history-of-the-most-controversial-film-of-the-nineties-105069/6/
  14. IndieWire
    https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/heres-how-kids-happened-20-years-ago-60680/
  15. A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond
    https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Killer_Life/BdMOQjEjFmcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Julien+Donkey-Boy%22+canon&pg=PA77&printsec=frontcover
  16. A Killer Life: How an Independent Film Producer Survives Deals and Disasters in Hollywood and Beyond
    https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Killer_Life/BdMOQjEjFmcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Julien+Donkey-Boy%22+canon&pg=PA77&printsec=frontcover
  17. The Eye
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110719134534/http://www.harmony-korine.com/paper/int/hk/southern.html
  18. Newsweek
    https://www.newsweek.com/controversy-kids-adults-185042
  19. Variety
    https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/bowles-distrib-n-prez-for-shooting-gallery-1117434599/
  20. Variety
    https://variety.com/1995/scene/markets-festivals/it-s-lights-out-at-shining-excalibur-99128726/
  21. Variety
    https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/bookie-bets-on-paradise-1117342022/
  22. Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film
    https://archive.org/details/downdirtypicture00bisk
  23. Rotten Tomatoes
    https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kids/
  24. Metacritic
    https://www.metacritic.com/movie/kids
  25. Ebert, Roger
    https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/kids-1995
  26. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/21/movies/film-review-kids-growing-up-troubled-in-terrifying-ways.html
  27. Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/kidsnrkempley_c029f5.htm
  28. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/kidsnrhowe_c02a2c.htm
  29. Cultural Criticism & Transformation by bell hooks
    https://www.mediaed.org/transcripts/Bell-Hooks-Transcript.pdf
  30. Lit Hub
    https://lithub.com/are-the-kids-all-right/
  31. festival-cannes.com
    https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/kids/
  32. The Stinkers
    https://web.archive.org/web/20010413025218/http://thestinkers.com/qanda.html
  33. theenvelope.latimes.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070815101800/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/extras/lostmind/year/1995/1995st.htm
  34. Chicago Tribune
    https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/01/12/film-nominations-are-independent-minded/
  35. Los Angeles Times
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-25-ca-50950-story.html
  36. Chicago Tribune
    https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/03/25/independent-spirits-give-awards-all-own/
  37. American Film Institute
    https://prdaficalmjediwestussa.blob.core.windows.net/images/2019/08/handv400.pdf
  38. Tribeca
    https://tribecafilm.com/films/kids-2021
  39. Variety
    https://variety.com/2021/film/news/kids-new-documentary-larry-clark-harmony-korine-1234995023/
  40. Americana Film Fest
    https://americanafilmfest.com/en/film/we-were-once-kids/
  41. Deadline
    https://deadline.com/2021/12/lightyear-entertainment-acquires-docs-a-ha-the-movie-and-we-were-once-kids-1234899776/
  42. MSNBC
    https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/jesus-christ-what-happened-larry-clarks-1995-kids-turns-20
  43. Hypebeast
    https://hypebeast.com/2015/5/supreme-kids-20th-anniversary-capsule-collection
  44. AllMusic
    https://www.allmusic.com/album/kids-original-soundtrack-mw0000174690
  45. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/04/arts/music/folk-implosion-kids-soundtrack.html
  46. Pitchfork
    https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-folk-implosion-music-for-kids/
  47. Entertainment Weekly
  48. NME
  49. Spin
    https://books.google.com/books?id=rV8XFH6DQVcC&pg=PA120
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