Pecker

Happy-go-lucky amateur photographer Pecker (Furlong) can’t help but lovingly capture the gritty charm of everyday Baltimore with his modest camera. After successful DIY shows at local sub shops and laundromats, his candid portraits capture the eye of a rarefied NYC curator (Taylor), kickstarting a windfall that brings Pecker, his no-nonsense beau (Ricci), and his eccentric family to the Big Apple—and into the belly of the elite art world.

One of the sharpest and sweetest satires in writer/director John Waters’s formidable filmography, Pecker skewers the absurdity of haughty gallery culture while playfully confronting themes of exploitation, consent, and fame. Featuring hilarious ensemble support from Martha Plimpton, Brandon Sexton III and Mary Kay Place—along with cheeky cameos from Patricia Hearst and Cindy Sherman—Pecker pits sincerity against cynicism with compassionate appreciation for both. Take a picture…it’ll laugh longer!

This film is part of John Waters Threesome, a trio of films by the iconic queer filmmaker playing at BAM on Saturday, October 12.