Pecker Plot Summary and Details

Plot

John Waters wrote and directed this $6.5 million satire on the Manhattan art world, a rags-to-riches comedy about 18-year-old amateur photographer Pecker (so named because he pecks at his food). Pecker (Edward Furlong) is a blue-collar kid who works in a Baltimore sandwich shop and takes snapshots of family, friends, and customers. His mom, Joyce (Mary Kay Place) runs a thrift shop where she offers fashion advice to the homeless, while sis Tina (Martha Plimpton) recruits go-go boys to dance at the local Fudge Palace. Pecker's younger sister, Little Chrissy (Lauren Hulsey), has a sugar addiction, and his grandmother, Memama (Jean Schertler), the "pit beef" queen of Baltimore, conducts prayer meetings with her talking statue of Mary. After hip Manhattan art dealer Rorey Wheeler (Lili Taylor) becomes fascinated with Pecker's photos, a big exhibition is in the offing, followed by overnight fame as the young man becomes the new darling of the New York art scene. Soon Pecker discovers that fame has its price. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival.

MPAA Rating:

R for sexuality, graphic nudity, language and brief drug use.

Genre(s):

Comedy

Run Time:

90min.

Theatrical Release Date:

09/25/1998

DVD Release Date:

02/23/1999

Distributor(s):

Fine Line

Director(s):

John Waters

Starring:

Edward Furlong , Christina Ricci , Mary Kay Place , Martha Plimpton , Brendan Sexton III

Themes:

Fish Out of Water,Class Differences,Rags To Riches,Life in the Arts

Tone:

Quirky,Campy,Goofy,Silly,Irreverent,Merry,Sweet

Keywords:

amateur,art,blue-collar,charm [personality],cross-cultural-relations,fame,family,notoriety,photography,popularity,rags-to-riches,recognition [fame],social-classes,social-climber,stars [celebrities]

Country of Origin:

USA (09-25-1998)

Language:

English