"LORDS OF DOGTOWN" (2005) (Victor Rasuk, Emile Hirsch) (PG-13)
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QUICK TAKE:
Drama: Some teenage friends in 1970s California revolutionize skateboarding and must deal with how their growing fame affects them and their relationships in their group and with others.
PLOT:
It's 1975 and Tony (VICTOR RASUK), Jay (EMILE HIRSCH), Stacy (JOHN ROBINSON) and Sid (MICHAEL ANGARANO) make up a quartet of teen friends who spend their time skateboarding and surfing, but must wait to do the latter until surf shop owner Skip (HEATH LEDGER) and his older friends including the hardened Chino (VINCENT LARESCA) are done. The boys' rambunctiousness partially stems from their family life, or lack thereof. Jay lives with his hard-partying mom Philaine (REBECCA DE MORNAY) and her significant other Donnie (WILLIAM MAPOTHER), while Tony shares his bedroom with his sister Kathy (NIKKI REED) and must deal with their volatile father (JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO).
Seeing potential in the boys' talents on their skateboards, Skip forms them and others into a competitive team, hoping to make money off their wins through selling his own associated gear. With a severe drought forcing homeowners to keep their swimming pools empty, the boys find a new place to hone their unorthodox skateboarding skills and soon begin drawing huge crowds of friends and fans who are desirous of seeing their wild and risky stunts.
As time passes, their talent eventually piques the interest of others, such as Topper Burks (JOHNNY KNOXVILLE), who are interested in stealing them away from Skip and signing them to exclusive and lucrative contracts. From that point on, the boys must deal with their growing fame and how it affects them and the various relationships in their lives.
OUR TAKE: 4 out of 10
Based on the real-life exploits of a group of friends who revolutionized skateboarding and introduced the concept of "extreme sports," the film features some decent skateboarding stunts. Yet, when none of that's happening, it's rather inert, and the overall effort isn't anywhere as good or entertaining as the earlier documentary about the same, "Dogtown and Z-Boys."
And that's despite this film being written by Stacy Peralta (one of those z-boys and the director of that documentary) and helmed by Catherine Hardwicke who proved with "Thirteen" that she can create compelling, domestic drama. Unfortunately, it just doesn't happen here as the plot goes through the standard rags to riches script that shows that fame changes people. In the end, it's just not that interesting.
Considering the film's deficiencies and the fact that Hardwicke shoots the early portions of this effort in a handheld, documentary style fashion, you can't help but wonder why you're watching this rather than the earlier and far better picture (or even just a highlight reel of past or current skateboarding stunts. The film isn't horrible, it just isn't that interesting in the end. "Lords of Dogtown" rates as a 4 out of 10. (The full review is coming soon)
![[Screen It]](/images/underground_header.jpg)