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Starring Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci, Lili Taylor, Martha Plimpton, Mary Kay Place, Mark Joy,
Lauren Hulsey, Jean Schertler, Brendan Seaton III, Mink Stole, Patricia Hearst, Bess Armstrong.
Directed and Written by John Waters.
No, it's not that! Get your mind out of the gutter. It's the nickname of Eddie (Furlong), a sweet and lovable young teenager who pecked at his food as a youngster. Eddie loves to take photographs of his poor neighbourhood in Baltimore, just for the fun of it. He takes them of his Mom (Place) who runs a thrift shop, his Dad (Joy) who runs an under-patronized bar, his sister Little Chrissy (Hulsey) who is obsessed with sugar, his older sister Tina (Plimpton) who enthusiastically introduces the gentlemen on stage at a gay strip joint and his grandmother (Schertler) who carries around a statue of the Virgin Mary, and pretends it can talk. His best friend (Seaton) prides himself on being the best shoplifter in Baltimore, and loves to perform his trade in front of Eddie's camera. He especially likes to take pictures of his girlfriend Shelley (Ricci) who runs the neighbourhood laundromat with a zest for strict adherence to the laundromat's rules. She doesn't quite understand Eddie's little obsession with taking pictures, but she accepts and plays along. Eddie takes pictures of things that interest him - he sees "art" in the ordinary things of life. Eddie flips burgers at the Sub Pit, and arranges to show his photographs there. A New York gallery owner Rory (Taylor) happens to be in town, sees his flyer, and drops by. She loves his work, and just has to bring Eddie to New York for a show of his work. Eddie is a smash - the intelligentsia and press rave over the simplicity and unpretentiousness of his work. He and his pictures are plastered all over the local and national press, including Vogue and other fancy magazine covers. Eddie tries to be oblivious to his newfound celebrity, but his life begins to change. And his relationship to his family and friends is damaged. So Eddie takes measures to get his life back. John Waters is renowned for creating weird films with weird characters, such as Pink Flamingos, Cry-baby and Serial Mom. In comparison, Pecker is quite mainstream. It is about living life as you find it, acceptance of the foibles of those around you, and the disruptive effect fame and celebrity can have on your life. The characters are universally content with their life, however "culturally deprived" or lacking in money that life is. Eddie is perpetually smiling and eager. His Mom and Dad accept the oddities Eddie, Tina, Grandma and Chrissy demonstrate. Even Rory and her society friends in New York are generally pleasant and generous. The lack of a villain in the film leaves it a little flat, especially in its middle. Furlong (Linda Hamilton's son in Terminator 2) is quite good as the innocent and happy Eddie. And Ricci, Place and Plimpton provide strong support. The film is performed in a somewhat stylized manner, where strict adherence to realism is avoided, and this style is not alway entirely successful. There is little graphic nudity, but a lot of gay and offbeat behaviour by various characters is presented in a matter-of-fact, accepting way, where it's OK to be a little weird or different to be happy. Pecker is not for all tastes, but it's an at-times interesting view of celebrity and tolerance.  
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