There is a lot to love about this film. The actors are very natural and very engaging. The star, Sunny Suljic, is quite a find. There are a number of very moving scenes between the characters - we all have our burdens to bear.
The skating is great, but there isn't tons of it - don't go to the movie expecting it to be Lords of Dogtown or something like that. These boys hang around, talk smack, and do a bit of skating.
I have a major and a minor complaint about the movie. The minor one is what I thought was a really gratuitous scene between an older girl and the main character, Stevie (who is supposed to be 13 years old, but he looks younger, and the actor playing him IS younger) - we don't actually see them fooling around, but he talks about it (graphically) afterward. I thought the actor (and the character) was awfully young to include that. Why not something more sweet, more appropriate? It definitely affected my feelings about the film and my willingness to recommend it to others.
The major complaint is that there's just not enough "there" there. The movie isn't even 90 minutes long. I think if you're going to ask your audience to spend $12.50 at the multiplex, you should give them something substantial. It feels like the first HALF of a great movie. Jonah Hill introduces so many relationships and characters that never really get addressed: the mom, for example, and especially the brother - what's his deal? And the tension between the two friends who are moving in different directions seems defused by a terrible car accident caused by the one character's drinking. Are we supposed to think that all is forgiven? It just felt very unfinished, very unaddressed. I felt a bit cheated and I almost felt like Jonah Hill was just lazy, or couldn't be bothered to flesh out the film and do the work to complete it. I would certainly have a hard time heartily recommending the film, though it has some powerful moments. A fine first effort, I suppose, but not quite what I was hoping.
The skating is great, but there isn't tons of it - don't go to the movie expecting it to be Lords of Dogtown or something like that. These boys hang around, talk smack, and do a bit of skating.
I have a major and a minor complaint about the movie. The minor one is what I thought was a really gratuitous scene between an older girl and the main character, Stevie (who is supposed to be 13 years old, but he looks younger, and the actor playing him IS younger) - we don't actually see them fooling around, but he talks about it (graphically) afterward. I thought the actor (and the character) was awfully young to include that. Why not something more sweet, more appropriate? It definitely affected my feelings about the film and my willingness to recommend it to others.
The major complaint is that there's just not enough "there" there. The movie isn't even 90 minutes long. I think if you're going to ask your audience to spend $12.50 at the multiplex, you should give them something substantial. It feels like the first HALF of a great movie. Jonah Hill introduces so many relationships and characters that never really get addressed: the mom, for example, and especially the brother - what's his deal? And the tension between the two friends who are moving in different directions seems defused by a terrible car accident caused by the one character's drinking. Are we supposed to think that all is forgiven? It just felt very unfinished, very unaddressed. I felt a bit cheated and I almost felt like Jonah Hill was just lazy, or couldn't be bothered to flesh out the film and do the work to complete it. I would certainly have a hard time heartily recommending the film, though it has some powerful moments. A fine first effort, I suppose, but not quite what I was hoping.