Tanya’s Score: Good-and-a-half*
Rated: 14A
Starring: an erased boy, a bunch of skateboarders
Plot: This movie focusses on Stevie (Sunny Suljic) – a young, troubled teenager looking to fit in with a bunch of local skateboarders.
Tanya’s Verdict: Written and directed by actor Jonah Hill, Mid90s is a raw and realistic portrayal of life for a group of down-and-out teenagers clearly headed for trouble. It watches almost like a documentary – the dialogue feels unscripted, the filming is gritty, the actors are ordinary-looking.
This real-ness adds to the story’s intensity – for me anyway. If memory serves me correctly, some comparisons can be drawn between Mid90s and the movie Kids (1995) although I’m pretty certain I like the former moreso than the latter.
Mid90s is yet another example of a seemingly small and simple story with so much going on underneath. Without coming off as forced or contrived, this movie delves into themes of friendship, family and coming to terms with both.
While this movie was the perfect length, it is rife with curse words, inappropriate conversations and a few sexually-charged moments – which of course, only add to the film’s authenticity.
*Four score descriptions: Sh**; Okay; Good; Great