How could the “skateboarding culture” be portrayed without embellishments or dramatization? In the form of Jonah Hill’s directing of the movie Mid90s.

This simplistic movie encircles a group of adolescents who belong to the skating community. When a 13-year-old named Stevie, or “Sunburn” is introduced to this world, he is instantly mesmerized. He spends his days working his way into the group. He observes and mimics his new idols, even to the point of putting himself in life-threatening danger, in the hopes of making a name for himself in this new society. It also peeks into the lives of all four other underprivileged skaters and how their future will be impacted by their passion for a hobby that may not be financially stable in the long run. The conflicts brings in the economic struggles of the time, the contrast in personality between the people Stevie surrounds himself with outside his life, and the family he deals with when he is home. It also focuses on the struggles with Ray, the leader of the group, and his best friend, F-, and their divergence in the importance of hard work to be successful in their passions.

This movie may be simplified, but it is completely effective in its goals of representing the often misrepresented life of skaters and how eager they are to take their hobbies a step further. Most actors chosen were specific to their roles and were a part of the skateboarding culture in some way. The soundtrack was well thought out and enhanced the movie perfectly.

Although there may not be a huge rising conflict, the movie focuses on many different little conflicts and captivates the audience until the abrupt and strategic ending, which in my opinion, was the best part. This movie is for anyone who is a part of the skating community today, or even those who want to feel like a part of it even watching from the outside.