Nowhere Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A bunch of beautiful, wasted teens in 90s LA have bisexual awakenings, alien encounters, and existential crises before the party of the year, which sounds like every Tuesday night.

🍿 Nowhere: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Day in the Life

‘Nowhere’ follows a day in the lives of several Los Angeles teenagers as they navigate relationships, parties, and the general malaise of youth. The film centers on Dark, an 18-year-old bisexual searching for love and meaning amidst a chaotic landscape. His relationships with Mel and his infatuation with Montgomery highlight his search for connection.

Strange Encounters

Throughout the day, characters experience bizarre and often surreal events. Alien abductions, drug-induced hallucinations, and shocking acts of violence disrupt their lives, questioning the line between reality and fantasy. These encounters contribute to the film’s overall sense of disorientation and alienation.

The Party and Its Aftermath

The teenagers converge at a wild party, but the night spirals into tragedy. Some characters meet violent ends, while others are abducted or left grappling with the chaos. This culminates in Dark’s disturbing final encounter, leaving him alone and questioning everything.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Dark (James Duval): A bisexual, alienated film student searching for love amidst bizarre and surreal events in Los Angeles.
• Mel (Rachel True): Dark’s girlfriend, a bisexual African-American girl struggling with commitment and exploring her sexuality.
• Lucifer (Kathleen Robertson): Mel’s purple-haired, acid-tongued lesbian girlfriend who provides a sharp contrast to Dark’s anxieties.
• Montgomery (Nathan Bexton): A homosexual classmate who becomes Dark’s object of infatuation and experiences a disturbing alien abduction.
• Egg (Sarah Lassez): A meek and bulimic teenager who suffers a brutal assault, highlighting the film’s themes of exploitation.
• Cowboy (Guillermo Diaz): Dark’s best friend, a queer industrial rock star dealing with his boyfriend’s drug addiction.
• Bart (Jeremy Jordan): Cowboy’s drug-addicted lover whose self-destructive spiral leads to a tragic end.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Dark: “Dear diary, what a day. I swear I’ve never been so depressed, miserable, and lonely in my entire life.” – Dark’s opening monologue captures his feelings of isolation and despair.
• Dark: “It’s like we all know way down in our souls that our generation is going to witness the end of everything.” – Dark expresses a sense of impending doom that resonates with the film’s apocalyptic themes.
• Dark: “I’m only 18 years-old and I’m totally doomed.” – A poignant summary of Dark’s angst and feelings of hopelessness.
• Creature (Montgomery’s voice): “I’m outta here.” – Spoken by the alien creature emerging from Montgomery’s exploded body, a darkly comedic and shocking end to the film.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $3,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $194,201
• Worldwide Gross: $198,027

💥 Nowhere Reviews

Personal Review

I remember seeing ‘Nowhere’ in my late teens and being completely blown away. It felt like someone had taken all the weird, unspoken anxieties of being a teenager and amplified them to a surreal, almost comedic level. The chaotic energy, the vibrant visuals, and the feeling that anything could happen next kept me glued to the screen. It’s definitely not a movie for everyone, but it captures a specific kind of youthful alienation that I still find fascinating and relatable.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of Gregg Araki’s other films (e.g., ‘The Doom Generation’)”
  • “Viewers interested in surreal and experimental cinema”
  • “Those who appreciate films exploring themes of teen alienation and identity”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Strong sexual content”
  • “Drug use”
  • “Violence”
  • “Rape”
  • “Suicide”

Professional Reviews

• FandomWire: “Araki’s ‘Nowhere’ is now part of the Criterion Collection’s Teen Apocalypse Trilogy, allowing a new audience to experience its unique blend of teen angst, surreal visuals, and dark humor. A must-see for fans of independent cinema.
• The Wrap: “While not specifically reviewed, ‘Nowhere’ is highlighted as part of Netflix’s September 2023 lineup, showcasing its ongoing relevance in contemporary media consumption and its appeal to new viewers discovering classic indie films.
• IMDB User Reviews: “A highly divisive movie with many thinking it’s trash and others declaring it’s a masterpiece. This movie is an experience and is not for the faint of heart or for those who are not already a fan of Gregg Araki’s work.

Audience Reactions

Viewers either find this film a work of genius, a fascinating look into the youth in Los Angeles or they find it a confusing, over-stylized train wreck.: Visually stunning

Overall Consensus: A highly divisive cult film that is revered by a small part of the movie watching community while the majority dislike it. A time capsule for a very specific niche of late 90’s youth culture.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Nowhere is the third film in Gregg Araki’s ‘Teen Apocalypse Trilogy,’ preceded by ‘Totally F***ed Up’ and ‘The Doom Generation’.”
• “The film features numerous cameos from recognizable actors, including Christina Applegate, Ryan Phillippe, Heather Graham, and John Ritter.”
• “Due to the high licensing costs for the songs used for the soundtrack, this film did not receive a home media release other than VHS and laserdisc in the United States until 2024, when the Criterion Collection included it alongside Totally F***ed Up (1993) and The Doom Generation (1995) in their Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray release of the Teenage Apocalypse trilogy.”

🖥️ How to Watch Nowhere?

As of 2024, ‘Nowhere’ is available as part of the Criterion Collection’s ‘Teen Apocalypse Trilogy’ Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray release. Check retailers such as Amazon for purchase options. Streaming availability may vary; consult platforms like Apple TV, or Prime Video for rental or purchase options.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Nowhere, you might like these similar films:

• The Doom Generation (1995): Another film by Gregg Araki exploring similar themes of teenage alienation and surreal violence.
• Kids (1995): Depicts a raw and unflinching look at teenage life, exploring themes of sex, drugs, and aimlessness.
• Tank Girl (1995): Visually stylish and thematically rebellious, capturing a similar 90s alternative aesthetic.
• Euphoria (2019-Present): A modern television series that explores similar themes of teenage angst, drug use, and identity in a visually stylized way.
• Liquid Sky (1982): A low-budget sci-fi film that blends drugs, fashion, and alien encounters in a unique and provocative way.

🛒 Nowhere Related Products

• Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]: Includes ‘Totally F***ed Up,’ ‘The Doom Generation,’ and ‘Nowhere’ in high definition, with insightful commentary and behind-the-scenes content.
• Nowhere Movie Poster: High-quality reprint of the original ‘Nowhere’ movie poster, capturing the film’s distinctive visual style.
• Inspired T-shirt: Features graphics and quotes from the movie, a stylish way to show your love for Araki’s work.

🎧 Soundtrack

Nowhere features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Avalyn II” – performed by Slowdive
• “Dolphin” – performed by Chapterhouse
• “Sometimes” – performed by My Bloody Valentine

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Streets of Fire: Collector’s Edition: Nowhere Fast (HD)

Diane Lane absolutely kills it in this rock anthem from ‘Streets of Fire’! If you want a taste of the film’s energy, this is the video to watch!

✨ Rate