If you think back to your high school days what was it like? Was it like this?
34 Reviews
Reminded me of., well, simpler times.
bananaspider26 September 2020
First job.
fayk-738772 February 2021
Anyone who can still remember their first job will enjoy Northwood Pie. It's a fun film about the miseries and unpredictable joy one finds at working a "dead end" job. The lead character plays a lovable role that the audience can enjoy rooting for.
Warning don't watch this film if hungry the pizza looks amazing. Indie films benefit from shooting a film in one central location and this film does a great job, similar in a way to Clerks.
Warning don't watch this film if hungry the pizza looks amazing. Indie films benefit from shooting a film in one central location and this film does a great job, similar in a way to Clerks.
"Northwood Pie" (2020): A Honkin' Slice of The Slacker Sensibility
jtncsmistad27 March 2021
"Northwood Pie" is, at it's raunchy roots, a mid 1970s stoner flick updated to the 2020s, packing potency the variety of which ganja genre giants Cheech and Chong would praise on high. While high.
Todd Knaak (who co-wrote this simple, yet, in it's own unusual way, sweet story along with Director Jay Salahi) stars as Crispin, a Southern California kid at a critical crossroads. Will he be content continuing to get paid peanuts to pump out pizzas? Or will he pick a potentially more fulfilling future, galloping away to greener grass, leaving this one-horse town behind to choke on his dust.
The blunt and blue banter between Crispin and his equally lost buds is consistently hilarious here. The script succeeds in rising above the silly, while mercifully stopping short of miring in melancholy melodrama, hence heavily harshing the buzz, bruh.
The closing moments of "Northwood Pie" present a rousing and inspiring homage to a bygone time, both for these characters, and to an American era that once was. This is an indelible conclusion, an enduring final image capturing the uncertainty, and the endless possibilities, of youth. It is one of spontaneous clarity.
Achieved only after the smoke settles.
Todd Knaak (who co-wrote this simple, yet, in it's own unusual way, sweet story along with Director Jay Salahi) stars as Crispin, a Southern California kid at a critical crossroads. Will he be content continuing to get paid peanuts to pump out pizzas? Or will he pick a potentially more fulfilling future, galloping away to greener grass, leaving this one-horse town behind to choke on his dust.
The blunt and blue banter between Crispin and his equally lost buds is consistently hilarious here. The script succeeds in rising above the silly, while mercifully stopping short of miring in melancholy melodrama, hence heavily harshing the buzz, bruh.
The closing moments of "Northwood Pie" present a rousing and inspiring homage to a bygone time, both for these characters, and to an American era that once was. This is an indelible conclusion, an enduring final image capturing the uncertainty, and the endless possibilities, of youth. It is one of spontaneous clarity.
Achieved only after the smoke settles.
I worked at Northwood Pizza!
rickloayza29 November 2023
This movie is very "Clerks" in tone and dialogue. The characters were interesting and relatable. Itms definitely worth watching. At only 75 minutes, this won't take up your entire evening.
My only issue was the way they portrayed Northwood Pizza. I worked at the original Northwood Pizza from 1991-1994. The original location was right across the parking lot from the location used in the movie. When I worked there we had a much larger dining area and we were packed every Friday and Saturday night. As employees we cared about the quality of the food and the service we provided. The couple that owned it back then were wonderful to work for. It was a great environment for my first high school job.
The movie was filmed in Irvine, California where I'm from. It was so nice to see shots of my old hometown. Many of my friends from high school went to IVC (Irvine Valley College) where the character of Crispín went. I had other friends that went to OCC (Orange Coast College) where the character of Sierra went.
This film worked on two levels for me. A nice story and a trip down memory lane.
Oh, and we never called them "pies." We always said "pizza."
My only issue was the way they portrayed Northwood Pizza. I worked at the original Northwood Pizza from 1991-1994. The original location was right across the parking lot from the location used in the movie. When I worked there we had a much larger dining area and we were packed every Friday and Saturday night. As employees we cared about the quality of the food and the service we provided. The couple that owned it back then were wonderful to work for. It was a great environment for my first high school job.
The movie was filmed in Irvine, California where I'm from. It was so nice to see shots of my old hometown. Many of my friends from high school went to IVC (Irvine Valley College) where the character of Crispín went. I had other friends that went to OCC (Orange Coast College) where the character of Sierra went.
This film worked on two levels for me. A nice story and a trip down memory lane.
Oh, and we never called them "pies." We always said "pizza."
Feels like an early 2000's movie in a great way
lonely_spy31 March 2021
With a simple plot and likeable characters, humour that mostly hits on the right notes, unobtrusive cinematography and a ton of style, Northwood Pie is a great time especially if you want to relax and have a great time watching a feel good movie. Memorable scenes, and quotable dialogue, this film is well thought and the acting is solid!
Well done :)
Well done :)
Great dialogue, fun movie
kmcomer-7491324 November 2020
A tasty slice.
randalgraves-2659910 December 2020
I love small indie comedies. This hit the mark. My favorite movie is Clerks and this felt like clerks. I love the setting and it made me hunger for pizza so I order one. The characters felt fleshed and out and really. The lead actress was really good. Northwood really standouts by having strong writing and direction.
Casual and Funny Snapshot of Millennial Life
briandilorenzofilm9 December 2020
I found myself smiling from ear to ear watching Jay Salahi's "Northwood Pie". There's a casualness and low-key jadedness that burns through the pie-slinging millennials of the Northwood Pizza shop. Characters act and talk like real people, and more than 99% of the recent teen comedies I've seen, actually sound like a real group of friends. One may be forgiven for not knowing where the plot is going, as Salahi enjoys meandering around with his characters but that's also part of its shaggy charm. Todd Knaak makes a great protagonist as Crispin, who enters the circle of California stoners and slackers, making his mark with his own quirky off-kilter energy. Hang-outs and smoke sessions lead to deeper truths about these character's inner lives, without ever feeling forced or saccharine. In this regard, Salahi has been successful, making a naturalistic and very funny snapshot of millennial life. Highly recommend!
Funny, quirky, and enjoyable. Get out the popcorn and indulge yourself.
jimborussell18 December 2020
Wonderful snapshot into the life of the youth working at a pizza shop. This is a gem of a film. Stoners, slackers and pizza - what's not to love. Take a trip down memory lane and the easy going, carefree life of being young and dumb. Funny and enjoyable. I recommend.
Indie Coming of Age
againstthenight18 December 2020
Really enjoyed this little coming of age drama. You can tell it's personal and that makes all the difference. Great casting and performances - the dialogue / banter flowed and felt really authentic. It felt like it was living the world of Adventureland which I really loved. Easy Recommend. A+
Authentic
coopsmail-661353 December 2020
Northwood Pie... What a pleasure to see a small film take a simple premise that is so easily relatable and accessible to everyone who has experienced the journey of love and self identity. It may sound like you have heard this before, but these are the recurrent themes of growing up. This film doesn't try to overwhelm with hyperactive characters or events that try to distract you from the true story that many viewers can identify with. The film felty simuarl in a way to Clerks or a Kevin Smith film. I think Salahi has taken a smart step in exploring and demonstrating people who are interacting authentically, and learning about life together was the pizza wheel reminds us that we all have been there, wish to be there, but agree that friends and love are all that matter in the end. Ironic moments and a natural pithy exchange of real dialogue makes to appreciate this authentic perspective of what it is enjoy the moment as you pursue the future.
it delivered
toodlooo7 August 2020
I liked its pacing, how it depicted the flow of everyday life for Crispin. I enjoyed the one on one scenes between characters the most; the combination of dialogue and physical exchange/interaction had the same cadence and feel of real conversations I have every day with my friends. All in all it was fun to watch! The website's pretty nice too.
Clerks & Boyhood at a pizza joint
robinhoodinmoscow12 December 2020
funny entertaining film
mich1elle9 December 2020
I love comedies and movies that just make you feel good.
evelyne-87 December 2020
I love comedies and movies that just make you feel good. Northwood Pie is one of those movies that is just fun, that remind us all of those relatable and awkward moments in life. This coming of age comedy is great if you ever wondered how awkward, misunderstood and funny finding yourself and what you want can be.
Indie Comedy that delivers!
bartlettdirect16 December 2020
Give me a comedy that makes me feel right at home with its characters and I'm in. I felt throughout like I'd met them all somewhere before in my own crazy burb past. Credit goes to Northwood's terrific dialogue, the writer who wrote it and the lively cast who delivered it. Don't miss this well-paced coming of age indie comedy. Order a pie and enjoy.
This decade's Clerks
DarthSidousofthenorth28 March 2019
I saw this at the Pasadena International Film and was blown away by this movie. The movie perfectly captures growing up and becoming an adult. As Someone who grew up in a suburbia this film is very related. The story is about Crispin (Todd Knack) wanting something more in life than being stuck in suburbs while his friends are happy being in there hometown. Crispin dreams over something bigger in life.. He ends up having a relationship with Sierra (Annika Foster).. The love story in this perfectly captures love and romance in your early 20s. The two leads have amazing chemistry and well acted. The movie has great comedic scenes. Northwood Pie feels like one most real movies about life. It may have a low budget but the direction, writing, and acting carry this film to be better than 90% of big budget Hollywood movies. It is so refreshing to have movie with a heart. You can tell this movie was crafted with love. The characters feel fleshed out even the minor characters have important voice in film. The movie also is held together by excellent direction. The director is able to balance everything perfectly and keep the film well paced. If you this at future film festivals this is must see!
Fun movie that delivers
williamgway4 December 2020
Great debut feature
daviesj-13 August 2020
You can't do nothing and expect something to happen
baumer22 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Some films are timeless, not because of the way they look but because of the way they understand people. I grew up in the 80's with directors like John Hughes and Cameron Crowe, and they wrote some of the most iconic characters of my time. Jeff Spicolli, John Bender, Ducky Dale and Brad Hamilton, just to name a very few. What made those two writers so good is their ability to understand the youth they wrote about. Jay Salahi and Todd Knaak might well be on their way to becoming the next Crowe or Hughes. I don't say that lightly. Greatness is something you earn and with this being their first feature film, they have certainly shown that they are well on their way.
There are spoilers from here on out so if you don't want to know anything about the film, stop here and just know that I love this movie and hope everyone gets a chance to see it.
Todd Knaak plays Crispin, who might be named such as an homage to Back to the Future (another character in this film is named Lloyd, another BTTF nod), as it is just one of a plethora of films that this film either mentions or displays on screen. He's a young slacker who has never had a job in his life and when he goes for his first interview, his hair in flowing in all different directions and his shirt is old and full of holes. This doesn't seem to deter the boss as he gives him the job on the spot. Crispin likes to get high and he likes to hang out with friends but he has no idea what he wants to do with his life. But upon getting his first job at Northwood Pie, he starts to learn about himself. It's here that he meets Sierra. Annika Foster plays her and there is a familiarity and a comfort to this character. Watching her you feel like you know her. Part of this is the terrific dialogue by the co-writers but much of it is also that Foster has a natural likability. She's the kind of character that anyone would fall for. She's sweet, smart, articulate, beautiful and also has no clue what she wants to do with her life.
Crispin and Sierra start up a beautiful friendship but it's clear they both want more from one another. Never is it more apparent than my favourite scene in the movie where the two of them are sitting on a curb overlooking LA, and they just talk for almost four minutes with only a few camera cuts. They talk about nothing and everything all at the same time. She even tells him that there's something about him that she likes. But unfortunately for Crispin, he doesn't seem to be ready to "close the deal". While this scene is my favourite in the movie, there's another scene that set my intestines on fire. It takes place at a party and let's just say there's shades of Last American Virgin at this party. Even Sierra's LAV moment reminds me of Diane Franklin. It's such a well written and acted scene and the terrific thing about it neither writers have seen Last American Virgin.
On the lighter side of things, this film pays homage to so many other films that the director probably grew up with. There's shades of Swingers, Dazed and Confused, Clerks and even some Silver Linings Playbook. There's posters of Jurassic Park, The Shining and A Clockwork Orange. And Crispin is such a nerd that even though he could jerk off to about 100 different porn sites, he still chooses to do so watching slave Leia. Brilliant.
There's also a scene for film lovers only where Salahi has a cameo and his name is "Hayden". In this scene he discovers that one of the other characters has a new potential girlfriend but the main drawback is that her favourite Star Wars film is Attack of the Clones. It's very esoteric but so incredibly funny.
Northwood Pie is a low budget independent film with a first time director and a cast of mostly unknowns and yet it doesn't feel that way at all. These actors play off of one another like they were veterans and if this had of come out in the 80's you would of had actors like Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy playing prominent roles. Besides the two leads, many of the secondary characters make the film feel so real and so make us feel connected to the world they inhabit. My favourite secondary character is Anthony who is even more of a slacker than Crispin and he has the look and persona of a young Casey Affleck. There's also some really good secondary stories for these characters. When you find out about Lloyd and Jordan and why Lloyd's hat is so important, you might have to hold back the tears.
It's a timeless film. Timeless because the themes in here are relevant today just as they were in the 70's and 80's and the 90's. Everyone wants to be loved. Friends will rib each other and growing up, we are all confused and don't know what we want out of life. I can't praise this film enough. From the JJ Abrams lens flairs, to the Star Wars nods to the subtle homages to films that Salahi and Knaak have probably never seen, this does pretty much everything right. I can't wait to see what Salahi and Knaak do for their follow up.
This will undoubtedly make my top ten of the year.
9/10
There are spoilers from here on out so if you don't want to know anything about the film, stop here and just know that I love this movie and hope everyone gets a chance to see it.
Todd Knaak plays Crispin, who might be named such as an homage to Back to the Future (another character in this film is named Lloyd, another BTTF nod), as it is just one of a plethora of films that this film either mentions or displays on screen. He's a young slacker who has never had a job in his life and when he goes for his first interview, his hair in flowing in all different directions and his shirt is old and full of holes. This doesn't seem to deter the boss as he gives him the job on the spot. Crispin likes to get high and he likes to hang out with friends but he has no idea what he wants to do with his life. But upon getting his first job at Northwood Pie, he starts to learn about himself. It's here that he meets Sierra. Annika Foster plays her and there is a familiarity and a comfort to this character. Watching her you feel like you know her. Part of this is the terrific dialogue by the co-writers but much of it is also that Foster has a natural likability. She's the kind of character that anyone would fall for. She's sweet, smart, articulate, beautiful and also has no clue what she wants to do with her life.
Crispin and Sierra start up a beautiful friendship but it's clear they both want more from one another. Never is it more apparent than my favourite scene in the movie where the two of them are sitting on a curb overlooking LA, and they just talk for almost four minutes with only a few camera cuts. They talk about nothing and everything all at the same time. She even tells him that there's something about him that she likes. But unfortunately for Crispin, he doesn't seem to be ready to "close the deal". While this scene is my favourite in the movie, there's another scene that set my intestines on fire. It takes place at a party and let's just say there's shades of Last American Virgin at this party. Even Sierra's LAV moment reminds me of Diane Franklin. It's such a well written and acted scene and the terrific thing about it neither writers have seen Last American Virgin.
On the lighter side of things, this film pays homage to so many other films that the director probably grew up with. There's shades of Swingers, Dazed and Confused, Clerks and even some Silver Linings Playbook. There's posters of Jurassic Park, The Shining and A Clockwork Orange. And Crispin is such a nerd that even though he could jerk off to about 100 different porn sites, he still chooses to do so watching slave Leia. Brilliant.
There's also a scene for film lovers only where Salahi has a cameo and his name is "Hayden". In this scene he discovers that one of the other characters has a new potential girlfriend but the main drawback is that her favourite Star Wars film is Attack of the Clones. It's very esoteric but so incredibly funny.
Northwood Pie is a low budget independent film with a first time director and a cast of mostly unknowns and yet it doesn't feel that way at all. These actors play off of one another like they were veterans and if this had of come out in the 80's you would of had actors like Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy playing prominent roles. Besides the two leads, many of the secondary characters make the film feel so real and so make us feel connected to the world they inhabit. My favourite secondary character is Anthony who is even more of a slacker than Crispin and he has the look and persona of a young Casey Affleck. There's also some really good secondary stories for these characters. When you find out about Lloyd and Jordan and why Lloyd's hat is so important, you might have to hold back the tears.
It's a timeless film. Timeless because the themes in here are relevant today just as they were in the 70's and 80's and the 90's. Everyone wants to be loved. Friends will rib each other and growing up, we are all confused and don't know what we want out of life. I can't praise this film enough. From the JJ Abrams lens flairs, to the Star Wars nods to the subtle homages to films that Salahi and Knaak have probably never seen, this does pretty much everything right. I can't wait to see what Salahi and Knaak do for their follow up.
This will undoubtedly make my top ten of the year.
9/10
Nice Little Gem
heradite1 August 2020
The Next Richard Linklater/Steven Spielberg
georgebmoise19 August 2020
A refreshing and well crafted coming of age movie like this is just what we need. With this being Jay Salahi's feature debut, you can already see a very nuanced and measured writer/director who knows the cinematic language incredibly well and is a fan himself. Names like Richard Linklater and Steven Spielberg come to mind when I think of the feeling and look of this movie. Also amazing performances by the lead and co-writer Todd Knaak as well as his incredible female counter part Annika Foster. Shout out to all the supporting cast as well because you can see the director knew that a movie can live and die by its supporting players. A must see which I would strongly recommend anyone to check out. Can't wait to see what Jay Salahi does next!
Relatable
sydniray17 August 2020
If you grew up in Irvine or have lived there at all during your teen years or early adulthood, this movie should hit you right where it hurts. From the dialogue to the filming locations everything is spot on, the feeling of wanting so much more while being stuck in such a small bubble, surrounded by people who are okay with not wanting more and that feel no need to explore what else is out there...Every topic was touched, this movie was written directed and edited flawlessly because it's REAL.
Subtle Coming of Age Story
chrisbeattycb14 August 2020
Good movie; with a good story. All the characters and interactions felt realistic without trying hard. Definitely a coming of age story for someone in their 20s, trying to figure out whats next and navigating the subtle difficulties of forming romantic relationships and the disappointment that may come with it. All in all a fun watch.
Funny, sincere... wonderful
directortim20126 January 2021
When I was younger, there was a little mom & pop pizza place called Maria's. We all used to go there. This film took me back to that place and time in my life. When we are all young, lost but having fun. I'd go into Maria's to see my friends who worked there and just hang out. Northwood Pie brought back all those memories. It's a fun film but also very natural and lived in. I really liked the characters and a glimpse of a younger generation going through the same rites of passage I once did. I loved it!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
