"Mid90s" the skate film you have to see !

   Hello Charlie, today I am going to talk you about an amazing film you have to see immediately !

Mid90s is an American film written by Jonah Hill, released in 2018. Setting in the middle of 90’s, the film follows Stevie, an innocent and touching teenage boy. He lives in Los Angeles with his single depressed mother, and his abusive older brother Ian. In lack of tenderness and searching for warm, he escapes his turbulent home life by hanging out with a crew of older skateboarders. 

Brought in by Ruben, this new group of friends will become his alternative family. The four characters of the band are very different from each other, Ray is the most talented skater and the wise leader of the pac, « FuckShit » is his best friend since childhood, the laid-back one, « Fourth Grade » is the videographer and Ruben seems to be jealous of Stevie which quickly become the favorite little one.

 

Stevie, nicknamed Sunburned, hangs out and skates with his new friends, and he discovers the world of drinking, smoking, going to parties and snaking down the freeway on skateboards at dusk. He learns how to cope with hierarchies and rivalries in friendship group. 

Mostly, Stevie struggles to figure out what it want to be. Surrounded by unstable role models, the struggle makes it interesting but also frustrating and moving. I was very attached to Stevie and I had the impression to evolute with him as the film was progressing. I was impressed the way Stevie wasn’t scared of life and how he dared to try new tricks without the fears of failing and hurting. I admire him for that reason, it can be a metaphor of life : not to be afraid to make bad decisions. 

I really loved how the world of skate was represented. In the society mind, skateboard only means drugs, violence, alcohol, dirty, daredevil behavior and anti-social attitudes. It is partly true, but we tend to forget all the wonderful things world of skate can bring : emancipation, independence of minds, friendship, values, creativity, will and self-surpassing. 

In « Mid90s », these both sides are represented, thus you can have a real vision of what is this incredible world of excitement and danger.  

Another point I really appreciated is the way Mid90s has been filmed. Firstly, the authenticity of look, music and language of 90’s is surprising. Shot on super 16 millimeter, it increases this feeling of reality, closed to documentary style. 

As you maybe know, the film dimension is very important for skateboarders, shooting tricks is necessary. In Mid90, it appeared some sequences of skateboarding from video tapes shot by skaters themselves. It adds a realist aspect, very significant in the world of skate. 

Mid90s has been received by critics, as a « promising first outing for Hill » and a « Jonah Hill's nostalgic nod to the mean streets of his youth ». 

I recommended you this wonderful film depicting an unrecognized world full of extravagance and subtlety of free young minds.

If you liked my article, here is the trailer of Mid90s : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyRPQv-C7T8

Have a nice week-end and let me know if you appreciated the film in comment !